Stockton, Calif. - Making too many early mistakes, the Tigers could not recover from the sudden deficit as Portland capitalized to even the season-ending series at one game a piece with a 9-5 win on Saturday afternoon. Falling behind from the outset, Pacific (14-36, 10-16 WCC) ended up dropping the middle game of the weekend series as Portland (11-42, 6-20 WCC) snapped a seven-game skid with the victory.

The Tigers got off to a rough start in the contest as the leadoff batter for the Pilots reached base on the first of two Pacific errors on the day. The extra out given to Portland proved costly as the Pilots turned the mistake into runs as a two-out double off the bat of Cody Lenahan plated a pair of runs and got Portland off and running. 

The two first inning runs were just a precursor to what was to come as Portland broke the game open just one inning later plating six runs on six hits while sending 10 batters to the dish. The six hits in the inning were more hits than the Pilots totaled in the opening game of the series as they were limited to five the night prior by junior Jake Jenkins and company. In the inning, the Pilots did their damage going base to base as five of the six hits went for just one base while the lone extra-base hit came off the bat of Lenahan who posted his second double in as many trips to the plate. 

The two doubles would be the only two hits of the game for the Pilot third baseman as he would walk later in the game in between a pair of ground outs.

Down eight runs, Pacific notched its first runs of the game in the bottom half of the frame when Dallas Correa and J.J. Wagner combined for a run. Wagner's first hit of the day drove home Correa after the senior had led the inning off with a double down the third base line. Wagner would eventually score a run of his own as the Pilots gave back one of the runs given to them in the first on a two out error that allowed the Tiger shortstop to score from second.

Leading 8-2, the Pilots tacked on a ninth and final run in the top of the fourth inning on another Tiger mistake as a leadoff error again came back to haunt Pacific. The RBI double by Turner Gill in the inning was the third of three-straight hits for Gill who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.

With the game getting out of hand, Pacific mounted a comeback over the next two innings with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth, only to fall short in the end. In both cases, the Tigers used a pair of firsts to notch scores on the board as both Jimmy Gosano and Wagner tallied their first home runs of the season. 

For Gosano, his solo shot to start the fifth came in typical fashion as he cleared the big wall down the left field line in order to touch them all. For Wagner, his home run came in anything but typical fashion as the junior legged out an inside the park home run for his score. Hitting a ball down the third base line, Wagner's ball found the corner of Klein Family Field and ricocheted past the Pilots' left field back into the field of play allowing Wagner to come all the way around to score. For Wagner, the round-tripper netted Pacific two runs as he brought home Correa for the second time in the game after the senior catcher started the inning with a looping single down the right field line.

The inside the park home run would be the last score for either team as Pacific threatened just one last time in the ninth with a double off the bat of Gosano, but came up empty against Portlands' Billy Sahlinger. Sahlinger was in the game in place of starter Kurt Yinger (3-9) after the senior went 8.0 IP for the Pilots while giving up nine hits and five runs. The double for Gosano was his third hit of the game as the senior went 3-for-5 after posting a 2-for-4 effort the night prior.

While Yinger took the win, Will Lydon (1-10) suffered the loss as the sophomore went 1.1 IP while allowing four hits and three earned runs. In relief, Sean Bennetts gave up five hits and three earned in 3.2 IP while John Jaeger finished off the contest with 4.0 IP of scoreless, one-hit, relief.

The two teams will meet for the final time on Sunday, May 17 with the winner taking the series as the 2015 season comes to a close. The final game of the year is scheduled for 1:00 pm with a pregame senior ceremony taking play prior to first pitch.