STOCKTON, Calif. – Pacific is back on the diamond this weekend for a three-game series with South Dakota State at Klein Family Field. The Tigers are off to a 3-1 start under interim head coach Chris Rodriguez after turning the tables on California Baptist, who took three of four from UOP last season in Riverside.
 
SERIES SCHEDULE
 
Friday, February 21
South Dakota State vs. Pacific | 6:00 p.m.
Klein Family Field | Stockton, Calif.
Probable Pitchers: Adam Mazur, RHP (SDSU, 0-1, 6.23 ERA, 4.1 IP) vs. Lucas Sweany, LHP (PAC, 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP)
Live Stream | Live Stats

Saturday, February 22
South Dakota State vs. Pacific | 1:00 p.m.
Klein Family Field | Stockton, Calif.
Probable Pitchers: Rick Atkins, LHP (SDSU, 0-0, 12.27 ERA, 3.2 IP) vs. Elijah Birdsong, RHP (PAC, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 4.0 IP)
Live Stream | Live Stats

Sunday, February 23
South Dakota State vs. Pacific | 12:00 p.m.
Klein Family Field | Stockton, Calif.
Probable Pitchers: Brady Stover, LHP (SDSU, 0-1, 12.46 ERA, 4.1 IP) vs. Hayden Pearce, L/RHP (PAC, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 IP)
Live Stream | Live Stats


LAST TIME OUT:

• Kicking off their 2020 campaign on a positive notes, the Tigers took 3 of 4 on opening weekend from California Baptist. Overall, it was the second straight year Pacific has notched the series victory against their first opponent of the season.
• Providing one of the dominant performances of the weekend, junior Hayden Pearce delivered a gem in the third game of the series, tossing 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just one hit in route to notching a new career-high with 10 strikeouts to secure the win over the Lancers.
• Making the CBU pitching staff pay for their mistakes, the middle of the Tiger lineup (James McClenaghan, Charles Middleton and Alex LeForestier) combined to hit .417 (20-48) through the first four games of play, driving in 14 runs and tallying 24 total bases.

STARTING OUT HOT:

• Catching fire at the plate to begin the season, Pacific outscored the Lancers, 37-24, in the opening series, scoring at least nine runs in three of the four games.
• Finding their rhythm, the Tigers also recorded 10 extra-base hits against CBU, torching the opposing pitching for 43 total hits.
• Despite a few hiccups, UOP saw positive performances from their starting pitchers overall, as all four starters went at least 3.1 innings in their season debuts. Additionally, the pitching staff combined to register a 4.50 ERA through opening weekend. 

ON THE PROWL:

• Highlighting the offensive attack, McClenaghan impressed in his first games as a Tiger, going 7-16 from the dish (.438), scoring 6 runs and finishing the series with a .909 OPS, .438 slugging percentage and .471 on-base percentage.
• Toeing the rubber for the first time in his collegiate career, senior Keaton Glover pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Opening Night, recording two of his three outs via the punchout.
• Debuting in the starting lineup for the first time in the Orange and Black, junior Joe Fitzhugh drove in his first five runs as a Tiger in Monday's win over CBU, crushing a grand slam over the left field wall before scoring another runner on a sacrifice fly just two innings later.
• Following his stellar start on opening weekend, Pearce currently leads the nation in WHIP with a .14 mark. 

SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS:

• The Tigers and Jackrabbits are meeting on the diamond for just the second time in series history. Pacific took a 5-2 decision on March 8, 2016 in midweek action behind plenty of relief pitching and late-game heroics. 
• South Dakota State is looking for their first victory of the 2020 season after being swept by Dallas Baptist to begin the year.
• Prior to the season, the Jackrabbits were picked to finish third in the Summit League. Among the players returning from their 2019, juniors Gus Steiger and Bret Barnett are two to keep an eye on after both were presented with All-Summit League honors at the end of last year.
• In his fourth season at the helm, head coach Rob Bishop currently holds a 72-81 overall record with the Jackrabbits heading into the weekend of play.

TRACK THE ACTION

• Live stats for all four contests will be available on pacifictigers.com. The entirety of the series will also be streamed live on the WCC Network.

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