April 17, 2009
Box Score
Fullerton, Calif. - For the first time since 2002, the Pacific baseball team knocked off No. 6 Cal State Fullerton taking a 5-4 final decision on the road against the Titans after exploding for a four-run ninth inning on Friday, April 17.
With the win, Pacific recorded a two-game win streak and improved to 14-18 on the year with a 6-4 record in the Big West Conference. Cal State Fullerton fell to 23-10 on the season with a 5-5 mark in conference play.
On April 13, 2002, the Tigers snapped a 19 game losing streak in the all-time series against the Titans, winning their last game against Cal State Fullerton at home. The last time they defeated the Titans on the road came back in May of 1997.
Gaining the win for the Tigers on the mound was reliever Cole Akins (Seattle, Wash.) who improved to 3-1 on the year. Offensively, the Tigers were led by senior Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.), the starting pitcher and designated hitter, who went a perfect 5-for-5 in the batter's box.
Heading into the top of the ninth trailing 4-1, the Tigers were down to their last opportunity in the game after trailing to Cal State Fullerton all night. Freshman Josh Simms (La Mesa, Calif.) only needed to see one pitch before singling up the middle to put the first runner of the inning aboard with no outs. That was all the Titans would take from their pitcher, Nick Ramirez, before lifting him for the closer, Michael Morrison. In the first at-bat against Morrison, junior Ben Gorang (Turlock, Calif.) lifted a second-straight single into center field to put runners at first and second for sophomore Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.).
Longmire flew out to center for the first out of the inning, but it was too shallow to advance the runners at first and second. With the table set, Centanni came to the plate and singled up the middle, driving in the first run of the inning as Simms came around to score and cut the lead in half at 4-2.
The next batter, sophomore J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas) was hit by a pitch on a full count to load the bases with only one out in the top of the inning. The Titans again went to their bullpen, this time calling on Ryan Ackland to take over for Morrison. On a 1-1 pitch from Ackland, senior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) exploded for a two-run single to score Gorang and Centanni as the Tigers tied the game 4-4, blowing the save for the Titans and leaving starting pitcher Daniel Renken without a decision in the game. However, that also took Centanni off the hook as he was in line for the loss prior to the ninth. On the play, center fielder Josh Fellhauer misread and then bobbled the ball in center on the double, advancing Brown to third on the fielding error.
With the score tied and one out in the frame, sophomore Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.) hit a one-hopper that dropped right in front of second baseman Joe Scott's glove. Scott threw out McKeever at second, who cautiously was tagging in case Martin lined out to second, but darted toward the base when he saw that the ball hit the ground. After eliminating McKeever at second, shortstop Christian Colon flipped over to first to try and complete the second half of the double play.
Instead, Martin was hustling down the line all the way, hoping to beat out the throw as he just barely made it by a matter of inches. Off on contact when he realized the throw was going to second, Brown hustled down the third base line and home to score. Martin's hustle down to first was that much more important because he kept the inning alive for Brown's run to count as the fifth and final, with Pacific taking a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth.
That was all the Tigers needed to seal the victory. In the bottom of the ninth, Akins retired the side in order, after he and LHP Jamie Niley (Elk Grove, Calif.) combined to do so in the bottom of the eighth. Brown preserved the victory when he snagged a liner off the bat of pinch hitter Billy Marcoe, for the third and final out of the game.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, Pacific scored its first run after McKeever led off the inning with a double to center field. Immediately after, Martin tripled down the right field line to score McKeever from second with no outs in the frame.
The two teams will meet again for the second game of the series on Saturday, April 18. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
