Feb. 6, 2007
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Trailing 10-3 in the bottom of the fifth, the Pacific Tigers scored 13 unanswered runs to defeat Sacramento State, 16-10, on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
With the win the Tigers evened their record at 2-2 on the season, while Sacramento State fell to 0-4.
Down 10-3 in the fifth, the Tigers started their rally with a single run as freshman Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) reached on an error, moved to second on a fielder's choice, took third on a passed ball and scored on another fielder's choice to make it 10-4.
In the bottom of the sixth Pacific put three more runs on the board behind four straight hits. With one out in the inning, junior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) started the rally with a double that one-hopped the wall in left field. Sophomore Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) followed with an infield single to deep short. Junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.) laced a single to center to load the bases, then junior Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.) ripped a two-run double into right-center to make it 10-6. The next Pacific batter, Walker, grounded into a double play on a ground out to first, but Baum scored before Haar was tagged out at second base as the Tigers pulled within three at 10-7.
Following a perfect seventh on the mound by Haar, who came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers added two more runs on two hits to make it a 10-9 contest. Junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) drove a single through the right side of the diamond to lead off the seventh, then sophomore Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) ripped a triple down the right field line to plate Murray. Two outs later, Chamberlin came home on a balk by Sacramento State reliever Cyrus Sarraf.
With the light of day dwindling in the bottom of the eighth, the Tigers knew that at-bat might be their last chance. Pacific responded in a big way with seven runs on four hits, three hit batsman, two walks and an error. Baum started the big rally with his fourth walk of the game. Haar followed by reaching on an error, sending Baum to third. Walker made the Hornets pay for the error in the best way possible, a three-run blast over the center field wall to give the Tigers a 12-10 lead. Pacific went on to score four more runs and captured the game behind a perfect ninth from senior Jake Wild (Kingburg, Calif.).
Before the dramatic comeback, Pacific opened the scoring in the game as the Tigers notched single runs in both the first and the second innings. Pacific took advantage of wildness from Sacramento State as the Tigers drew four walks in the first to take a 1-0 lead. In the second, sophomore Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) hit Pacific's first home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall.
Sacramento State, however, scored five runs on five hits in the top of the third to take a 5-2 lead. The Hornets added two more runs in the fourth to take a 7-2 edge. After the Tigers pushed across a run in the bottom of the fourth, Sacramento State scored three in the top of the fifth to take extend their lead to 10-3, setting up the Pacific ambush.
Haar (1-0) picked up the win as he allowed one run on four hits and two walks in 3.2 innings of relief. Sarraf (0-2) suffered the loss as he allowed three runs on a hit and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Walker led the Tigers offense as he was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI, while Baum finished the game 2-for-2 with three walks, two runs scored and two RBI.
Pacific now heads out on the road to Hawai'i as the Tigers take on the Rainbows in a three-game series beginning on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6:35 pm (PST).
