March 4, 2009

Box Score

BERKELEY, CALIF. - Utilizing a three-run second inning and a four-run sixth inning, the Cal baseball team won its sixth game in-a-row with an 8-6 victory over San Francisco Wednesday afternoon at Evans Diamond. The Golden Bears improved to 7-2 on the season and USF dropped to 3-7. Junior center fielder Brett Jackson had a big day for Cal, going 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI, while freshman closer Erik Johnson recorded his fourth save of the season. Freshman third baseman Marcus Semien also had a stellar game, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

The winning pitcher for the Bears was sophomore right-hander Yasser Clor, who improved his record to 2-0. Clor started the game, throwing 3.0 innings with four hits, one run, two walks and two strikeouts. The losing pitcher for the Dons was starter Sean Burns, who only lasted 1.1 innings with five hits, four runs, one walk and one strikeout.

Cal scored a run in the first inning when Jackson led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on freshman left fielder Danny Oh's bunt single. Junior second baseman Jeff Kobernus forced in a run when he hit into a 6-4-3 double play. USF came back with a run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Robert Abel off of Clor, but the Bears prevented any further damage when junior right fielder Blake Smith threw Stephen Yarrow out at the plate after a two-out single by Zach Kim.

Cal exploded for three runs in the bottom of the second on a fielder's choice RBI by senior shortstop Michael Brady, an RBI double by Semien and a sacrifice fly to center field by Jackson for a 4-1 advantage. San Francisco got within 4-2 with a run in the fourth inning when Dane Bruanecker tripled and scored on Yarrow's single.

The Bears jumped to an 8-2 lead with four runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by an RBI single up the middle by Semien and a two-run triple by Jackson. Jackson later scored on a wild pitch by Don reliever Bob Mott. USF was not done threatening, however, scoring a run in the seventh on an RBI pinch hit single by Drew Johnson, and then making the score, 8-6, on Braunecker's three-run homer in the eighth inning. But, Cal reliever Daniel Wolford was able to strikeout the final two batters in the eighth and Johnson earned his fourth save by not allowing a hit or a run in the top of the ninth.

Besides Jackson and Semien's multiple hits, Oh was 2-for-4 with a double, and sophomore Mark Canha added two hits (2-for-4). Both Jackson and Canha have hit safely in all nine of Cal's games this season.

Cal will next travel to No. 21-ranked University of Arkansas for a three-game series Mar. 6-8 (6 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 1 p.m. CST), followed by a single game at No. 16-ranked Oklahoma on Monday, March 9 (12 p.m. CST).

Home Runs:

San Francisco: Dane Bruanecker, three-run homer in the eighth inning.

Cal: None.