Feb. 23, 2009

Box Score

BERKELEY, CALIF. - Junior second baseman Jeff Kobernus helped California take advantage of a Vanderbilt miscue, knocking in sophomore Austin Booker with the game-winning RBI to right center field as the Golden Bears defeated the Commodores, 4-3, Monday, Feb. 23 at Evans Diamond.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth and down 3-2, Cal junior center fielder Brett Jackson hit a double off of Vanderbilt closer Russell Brewer. Pinch hitter Booker followed with a chooper to Commodore third baseman Jason Esposito, who threw wildly to first base, allowing Jackson to score and Booker to advance to third base. From there, Kobernus drove Brewer's next pitch to the outfield gap for the game-winner.

The winning pitcher for the Bears was freshman reliever Erik Johnson, who threw the final 1.1 innings with no hits, no runs, one walk and three strikeouts. In the eighth inning, Johnson's wild pitch had allowed the Commodores to take a 3-2 lead, but he recovered nicely by striking out the side in the top of the ninth inning to earn his first collegiate victory. Cal had received an outstanding pitching effort from sophomore right-hander Brian Diemer, who had the best outing of his college career, throwing a career-high 7.2 innings with three hits, three runs, one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts.

Diemer had yielded two runs in the top of the first inning to Vanderbilt on RBI groundouts by Curt Casali and Aaron Westlake, but then didn't give up a run until the Commodore's Brian Harris scored on Johnson's wild pitch in the eighth. In all, Diemer and Johnson limited Vanderbilt to three hits, while only allowing two walks and striking out 11 batters.

Down 2-0 the majority of the game, the Bears started to come back in the sixth inning when sophomore right fielder Mark Canha hit a two-out homer to right field off of Commodore starter Sean Bierman (6.0 innings, six hits, one run, two walks, five strikeout). Cal then tied the game, 2-2, in the seventh inning on Kobernus' RBI single to left field off of Vanderbilt reliever Taylor Hill.

Kobernus finished the game 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Jackson (2-for-4, double), Canha (2-for-3, HR), junior left fielder Rich Gorman (2-for-4, double) and sophomore shortstop Brian Guinn (2-for-4) had two hits apiece for the Bears.

Cal next travels to Santa Clara on Wednesday, Feb. 25 for a 6 p.m. game at Schott Stadium.

Home Runs: Vanderbilt: None

Cal: Mark Canha, solo home run in the sixth inning.