May 24, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - In the final contest of the 2009 season, the Pacific baseball team fell 6-5 to Cal State Bakersfield in non-conference action on Sunday, May 24.
With the loss, Pacific finished the season 21-32 overall as Cal State Bakersfield improved to 13-37.
On senior day, the Tigers struck first while senior RHP Cole Akins (Seattle, Wash.) retired the Roadrunners in order. Sophomore Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.) and freshman Josh Simms (La Mesa, Calif.) launched back-to-back singles past the pitcher's head and into center field to get a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas) then followed through with runners at the corners and grounded out to second, plating Longmire for a quick 1-0 lead.
Cal State Bakersfield put up three runs in the top of the fourth and held a 3-1 lead, never looking back for the rest of the afternoon.
The Tigers tried to muster a comeback in the fifth, when junior Ben Gorang (Turlock, Calif.) smacked a double out of the gate. Longmire followed up with a deep fly to center field that was caught, but with enough distance to bring Gorang to third base.
As Gorang sat at third, Simms connected for his first of two RBI on the afternoon and drove in Gorang with a single into left, as the Tigers trailed 3-2.
Two innings later the Roadrunners retaliated with three more runs for a final tally of six, leading 6-2. Pacific staged a comeback attempt, but just fell short.
Two outs into the bottom of the seventh, Longmire took a pitch inside and took his base at first. Simms then doubled into left to bring Longmire home for a 6-3 deficit. Brown followed suit and also hit into left, bringing Simms home as the Tigers inched closer, 6-4. Senior Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.) continued the doubles inning smacking one of his own into left center field, as Brown sprinted home for Pacific's fifth and final run. As the Roadrunners relayed home to try and tag Brown out, Centanni advanced to third, but remained stranded on the basepaths at the end of the inning.
However, Pacific had already clinched the series victory with a 9-8 win over Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, May 23.
Upon the conclusion of the 2009 season, Longmire finished with a 17 game hitting streak and a team-leading .385 batting average which places him in fourth place in Pacific single-season history. Brown closed out the year with seven home runs to lead the squad and compiled a hit in 49 of the Tigers' 53 games, including a team-best 20-game win streak. Senior Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) established a new single-season doubles mark with 24 over the 2009 season.
And on the mound, LHP David Rowse (Seattle, Wash.) led all players with a 4.99 ERA and a complete game shutout, while sophomore Thomas Berolzheimer (Stockton, Calif.) compiled five saves this year.
