May 6, 2011
Box Score
Box Score PDF
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Pacific baseball team dropped game one of a Big West series to UC Davis Friday night at Klein Family Field as the Aggies tallied three runs in the fifth inning. Junior DH Daniel Johnston (Portola Valley, Calif.) went four-for-four with an RBI in the effort for Pacific and junior SS Josh Simms (La Mesa, Calif.) extended his hit streak to 14 games.
Johnston put the Tigers on the board first, as he drove an opposite field double into the right centerfield gap to drive home junior OF Allen Riley (Fresno, Calif.), who doubled to right with one out in the second inning.
But the Aggies picked up the run back in the third, as CF Brett Morgan was hit by pitch and came into score on a double by DH David Popkins.
In the Davis fifth, Morgan walked and SS Scott Heyland was hit by pitch to open the inning and after 1B Eric Johnson singled to load the bases, C Scott Kalush cleared the bases with a three-run double to put UC Davis up 4-1.
Tigers' starter John Prato Matthews (Davis, Calif.) departed after five innings with four earned runs allowed.
The Aggies added an unearned run in the sixth of freshman RHP Peter Miller (Santa Cruz, Calif.) as LF Seth Batty dropped a bunt single to third, advanced to second on a sac bunt, and after a groundout, came in to score on a passed ball.
In the seventh, UC Davis added another unearned run of sophomore LHP John Haberman (Stockton, Calif.) Johnson walked and advanced to third via an error on a fielder's choice from Kalush, then came in to score on a wild pitch.
The Tigers answered in their half of the seventh, as Riley and Johnston posted back-to-back singles up the middle to open the frame and advanced on a wild pitch by UC Davis starter RHP Scott Lyman. Lyman allowed Riley to score on another wild pitch as the Tigers cut the deficit to 6-2.
Lyman lasted 6.2 innings, allowed a pair of earned runs while striking out six to improve to 3-4.
Johnston singled to open the Pacific ninth for his first-career four-hit game, and after Simms added his second hit of the ballgame, LHP Nathan Slater coaxed a fly out to end the ball game and pick up his first save. Slater finished the final 2.1 innings, entering with the bases loaded, allowing one earned with two strikouts.
Junior RHP Jared Wagner (Danville, Calif.) and senior RHP Robbie Richardson (Lodi, Calif.) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
Johnston also doubled in the fifth, his 13th of the season.
The Tigers fall to 14-26 on the season, 6-10 in the Big West, while UC Davis improves to 14-25 overall, 7-6 in the Big West.
Game two of the series is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch with UC Davis LHP Anthony Kupbens (4-5, 2.10 ERA) taking on Tigers senior RHP Marcus Pointer (Pacifica, Calif.; 4-5, 6.10 ERA).
