STOCKTON, Calif. – In front of over 1200 people, the Tigers came back from down seven to defeat Saint Mary's 8-7.
Chaz Myers led the team with three hits and three runs scored. Myers also hit a home run.
Brandon Motheral also hit a home run and added two hits and two runs scored.
Colby Canales drove in the game-winning run.
Hunter Hayes started the game, pitching 2.2 innings with one strikeout. The Tigers bullpen did not allow a hit in 6.1 innings of relief.
Hunter Schilperoort recorded his eighth save of the season with two strikeouts. Eight saves are the most since 2015 for a Tigers pitcher when Vince Arobio also had eight.
The Gaels got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the second inning off two two-run home runs to take a 4-0 lead. Another home run in the third and a two-RBI single extended the lead to 7-0 for the Gaels. The Tiger's defense showed that Pacific was not out of the game,
Jeremy Lea threw a laser to catch a base stealer, and
Ben Nemivant made an incredible diving catch to start the fourth inning.
The Tigers got on the board with a bang, as Motheral and Myers hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. The momentum shifted as the Gaels would not score again.
The Tigers scored three more times in the sixth, with a
Jarron Silva RBI single, a
James McClenaghan RBI single and a
Ben Nemivant sacrifice fly.
Down by two, the Tigers headed into the eighth with six outs remaining. A pitch hit Myers to start the inning, and Silva followed it up with a single to left-center. With two runners on, McClenaghan looked to move the runners over with a bunt. The Gaels catcher rushed the throw and allowed the Tigers to score two runs and tie the game. With McClenaghan on third, Canales drove in the go-ahead run thanks to the error.
Schilperoort came in to close out the game in the ninth and did just that, a 1-2-3 inning to send the Gaels home and send the fans home happy.
Before the game, the jersey number of former Tiger pitcher John Strohmayer was retired. The late Strohmayer is a Pacific Hall of Famer and was a two-time captain. He was drafted by Oakland in 1968 and pitched in the major leagues for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. After his baseball career ended, he returned to his hometown of Redding where he taught and coached at Central Valley High School. He eventually was promoted to principal and then to superintendent of Gateway Unified School District, retiring in 2009 after 32 years in education.
The two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon. The first pitch will be at 1 p.m.
