May 8, 2011

Box Score

Box Score PDF

STOCKTON, Calif. - Trailing by deficits of 3-1 and 4-3, the Pacific baseball team fought their way back for 5-4 win in game three of the series against UC Davis Sunday afternoon at Klein Family Field. Junior LF Daniel Johnston (Portola Valley, Calif.) singled, stole second and scored the eventual winning run in the bottom of the eighth, finishing the day two-for-four.

Freshman Curtis Gomez (Watsonville, Calif.) also added a two-for-four day, with an RBI, while sophomore 3B Dustin Torchio (Santa Cruz, Calif.) also went two-for-four, with a triple and a run scored.

Junior RHP Chris Larsen (Moline, Ill.) earned the win in relief, tossing the 2.1 shutout innings in relief of starter RHP Jake Hummel (Peoria, Ariz.). Larsen, who leads the Tigers with five saves, picked up his first win (1-1) with three strikeouts against no walks and four singles allowed.

The Tigers scored first for the 11th straight game, as sophomore 2B Tyger Pederson (Palo Alto, Calif.) walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and came in to score when a grounder to short off the bat of senior CF Matt Carvutto (Poway, Calif.) was thrown away.

The Aggies answered with a run in the fourth, as DH Scott Lyman singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, then to third on a fly out, before coming in to score on an RBI single from 3B Justin Andrade.

Davis took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, as 2B Ryan Allgrove singled and was replaced by SS Scott Heylman on a fielder's choice. After a hit by pitch, Lyman doubled to left to plate both runs before being thrown out at third trying to stretch his hit to a three-bagger.

The Tigers rallied in the bottom of the sixth as senior 1B Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.) walked, and Johnston singled with one out. Gomez followed with a single to center to plate Martin with Johnston taking third, and Gomez advancing to second on the throw home. Freshman C Jason Taasaas (Elk Grove, Calif.) added an RBI groundout to tie the ball game.

But the Aggies retook the lead in the seventh on consecutive one-out singles from LF David Popkins, Lyman and 1B Eric Johnson to take a 4-3 lead. After a ground out and a walk, Hummel departed and Larsen coaxed a fly out from PH Daniel Cepin to end the inning.

Hummel tossed 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs with three strikeouts in the no decision.

Torchio led off the bottom of the seventh with a drive into the corner in right field. Hustling out of the box, Torchio slid around the tag from Andrade at third base for a leadoff triple. After an infield groundout, Torchio scampered home when a pitch from Aggies' starter LHP Dayne Quist went to the backstop.

Johnston singled with one out in the eighth to chase Quist, and then picked up his 11th stolen second base of the season off RHP Nathan Slater. Johnston advanced to third on a flyout to right center by Gomez, and after RHP Tom Briner replaced Slater, Johnston came in to score when a ground ball hit to short by PH John Haberman (Stockton, Calif.) was misplayed. Junior SS Josh Simms (La Mesa, Calif.) flied out to right to end the inning, as his 15-game hit streak came to an end.

Quist took the loss, to fall to 2-5 on the season after throwing 7.1 innings with three earned runs allowed, three walks, and four strikeouts. UC Davis falls to 15-26 on the season, 8-7 in the Big West.

The Tigers (15-27 overall, 7-11 Big West) will play host to Stanford on Monday at 6 p.m. at Klein Family Field in a makeup of a March 23 rainout. Haberman (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP) will get the start for Pacific, while the Cardinal starter is listed as TBA.