Stockton, Calif. - With postgame fireworks scheduled, the Tigers and the Aggies played with fireworks on the field as Pacific saw the tying run cut down at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning to fall to UC Davis, 5-4, on Saturday night. The loss for the Tigers (9-31) was their second-straight one-run loss to the Aggies (24-16-1) in the series as UC Davis secured the weekend victory with the win.

Down three heading into the ninth, Pacific had a chance to steal away the second game of the series against the Aggies as the Tigers rallied for two runs but saw the tying run called out at the plate on a bang-bang play. With the bases loaded and their best hitter at the plate in senior Tyler Sullivan, the Tigers were in the position they wanted to be with a chance to tie and even win the game. Behind in the count 1-2, T. Sullivan dug in and came up with what looked like the game-tying hit as he drove a pitch from Aggie closer Zach Stone through the right side of the infield and into right field. With one run in, Pacific waved home pinch-runner Jimmy Boras from second with the Aggies' right fielder, Tanner Bily, coming up throwing. Bily's throw was perfect as the Aggies got the call on the close play at the plate to end the game and hold on to the win. 

Prior to the controversial play at the plate, the Tigers had worked their way into striking distance thanks to patience at the plate as they worked three-straight walks after a leadoff single by Louis Mejia to grab their first run of the ninth. The RBI free pass was issued to senior Dallas Correa after Nate Verlin and Justin Thaxton came up with walks of their own.

T. Sullivan's single in the ninth was his fourth hit of the contest as the senior went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. He helped kick start the Tigers' late-game push to get back into the game as he came up with singles in both the sixth and the eighth that turned into runs for Pacific. In both cases, T. Sullivan worked his way into scoring position in front of the heart of Pacific's order in Brett Sullivan and Mejia that then came up with the RBI hits to plate the Tiger leadoff hitter. Mejia finished his night 3-for-4 as he and T. Sullivan accounted for seven of Pacific's 10 hits in the game.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the late scoring was not enough as the Aggies jumped on Pacific early to build an advantage that in the end would hold up. Scoring a pair of runs in both the third and the fourth innings of play, UC Davis took advantage of a handful of Tiger mistakes in the field to do its damage. The Aggies would score what would be the game-winning run two innings later when a second unearned run crossed the plate against Pacific. In all three scoring innings, UC Davis was able to put the leadoff man on base before coming up with the hits needed to score the runs with the bulk fo the damage coming from Evan Heptig who finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

On the mound, sophomore Will Lydon (1-8) suffered the loss as he was roughed up over 4.0 innings of work. The Tigers' Saturday starter allowed five hits and four runs while walking three in the loss. He gave way to Sean Bennetts out of the Tigers' pen in the fifth as the junior finished the game for Pacific allowing just three hits and one unearned run in 5.0 innings pitched. 

For the Aggies, starter Raul Jacobson (4-2) pitched into the ninth against the Tigers before getting into trouble. In total, Jacobson gave up nine hits and four runs while striking out four and walking two. He handed the ball to his closer, Stone (9), with two on and no outs in the ninth and had to sweat out the victory until Bily bailed out both pitchers with his throw to the plate. Stone was credited with the save despite nearly giving up the game to Pacific while allowing one hit and two walks in his 1.0 inning outing.

The Tigers will be without their senior catcher on Sunday as the senior was ejected from the game during the argument at the plate over the final out.

Pacific will attempt to salvage the final game of the series with the Aggies on Sunday, April 26 when the two teams meet once again at Klein Family Field. The game is scheduled for a 2:00 pm start.