March 6, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - In the first of a three-game series against San Jose State, the Pacific baseball team lost its home opener, 5-4, on Friday, March 6.
With the loss, Pacific dropped to a 3-5 overall record while San Jose State maintained a perfect 7-0 record in 2009.
After a quick two-run inning to open the game for San Jose State, the Tigers did what they've continually done thus far this season, responding with a two-out rally to take the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the second inning. Senior right fielder Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) (.320 average, 1-for-2, 2 RBI) recorded his second home run of the season to start off the inning, lifting a drive just past the right field wall to put Pacific's first run on the board. In the next at-bat, senior catcher Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) (.321 average, 1-for-3) grounded out to third for Pacific's first out in the frame. That brought to the plate sophomore second baseman J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas), who in his first at-bat of the game snapped off a quick double. The extra-base hit was Brown's (.429 average, 1-for-3, 1 double) third double in 2009 and kept his hitting streak alive at eight games.
San Jose State's starting pitcher, David Berner responded by walking junior first baseman Jamie Niley (Elk Grove, Calif.) to put runners on first and second with only one out. After junior third baseman Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) (.281 average, 1-for-4, 1 double) struck out looking, junior center fielder Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.) put Pacific ahead with a base-clearing double, 3-2. Fuson (.200 average, 1-for-4, 1 double, 2 RBI) earned two RBI when Brown and Niley both scored on the play. However, that was it for the Tigers, as the designated hitter and starting pitcher Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.) grounded out to the pitcher.
The Spartans wouldn't go down quietly though, as three back-to-back singles from Kyle Bellows, Corey Valine and Danny Stienstra put two more runs on the board. San Jose State took the lead and never looked back, 4-3 in the top of the third inning. The Spartans added another needed insurance run in the top of the fifth with two outs on the board. Although he should have been picked off the base path, Bellows was caught stealing but advanced to second on an error. He scored San Jose State's final run, when Valine drove him home off a long single to left field.
Pacific attempted yet another comeback in the bottom of the eight, sparked by a one-out triple off the bat of sophomore Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.). With Longmire (.300 average, 1-for-4, 1 triple) at third base and ready to score, McKeever accounted for another RBI when he scored his teammate off a long sacrifice fly, bringing the score to 5-4. Wideman then drew a walk from pitcher Steve Connolly, before Brown drew a second walk to put a runner in scoring position. Pacific would do no more damage though, as sophomore pinch hitter Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.) came to the plate in Niley's stead and struck out looking to bring the game to the ninth and final inning.
During the final inning of the game, pitcher Anthony Vega came to the mound for the Spartans and retired the Tigers in order to garner the save.
Centanni (1.35 ERA) took the loss an dropped to 1-1 on the season, while Berner gained another win for San Jose State and is now 3-0 on the year.
Pacific returns to action for the final home game of its three-game series against the Spartans on Saturday, March 7. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
