March 17, 2009

Box Score

STOCKTON, CALIF. - The University of California baseball team pounded out a season-high 17 hits, including home runs from junior right fielder Blake Smith, sophomore first baseman Mark Canha and freshman designated hitter Chad Bunting, on the way to a 12-2 victory Tuesday at Pacific. The Golden Bears improved their record to 10-7, while the Tigers dropped to 6-9.

The winning pitcher for Cal was junior left-hander Chris Petrini (1-2), who threw the first 3.0 innings with three hits, one run, two walks and one strikeout. Junior left-hander Michael Bugary and redshirt freshman right-hander Dixon Anderson also threw well. Bugary pitched 3.0 innings with three hits, one unearned run, one walk and six strikeouts, while Anderson went 2.0 innings with no hits, no runs, no walks and three strikeouts.

The Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, added a run in the third inning, and then had a solo home run by Bunting and a two-run homer by Smith in the four-run fourth inning. Cal scored four more runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Canha's three-run homer.

Besides Smith's (1-for-5, home run, two RBI), Canha's (2-for-4, home run, three RBI) and Bunting's (1-for-3, first collegiate hit is a home run) exploits, sophomore shortstop Brian Guinn and freshman left fielder Danny Oh had three hits apiece. Guinn went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Oh was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Junior center fielder Brett Jackson extended his hitting streak to all 17 of Cal's games this season by going 2-for-5 with a double. Senior third baseman/shortstop Michael Brady also had a pair of hits on the evening (2-for-5, RBI) and freshman third baseman Marcus Semien (1-for-2) hit his first collegiate triple.

Cal will next open Pac-10 play with a three-game series in versus Bay Area rival Stanford, beginning Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond.

Home Runs:

Cal: Chad Bunting, solo home run in the fourth inning. Blake Smith, two-run homer in the fourth inning. Mark Canha, three-run homer in the sixth inning.

Pacific: None.