Feb. 18, 2012
Box Score
STOCKTON, CALIF. -
The No. 22-ranked Cal baseball team scored four runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run homer from sophomore first baseman Andrew Knapp, on the way to a 6-3 win Saturday (Feb. 18) over Pacific in Stockton. The Golden Bears also received a strong pitching performance from senior right-hander Matt Flemer in his first start on the mound since his freshman season in 2009, throwing 8.0 innings (eight hits, three runs) with no walks and three strikeouts.
Cal improved to 2-0 after defeating the Tigers, 9-1, on Friday at Evans Diamond. The two teams will meet for the third game of the three game series, Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond. Besides the efforts of Knapp and Flemer, junior second baseman Tony Renda was 3-for-5 and junior left fielder Darrel Matthews had a two-run double in the fourth inning. Junior right-hander Logan Scott earned his first save of the season, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with one hit and one strikeout.
Senior catcher Chadd Krist hit a double to lead off the ninth inning, giving him his 48th career double, tying him with MLB World Series standout Allen Craig of the St. Louis Cardinals for seventh on the Cal all-time doubles list.
Pacific had scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning when Curtis Gomez led off with a triple and scored on Brett Christopher's ground out to shortstop. The Bears came roaring back with their four-run fourth inning, started by junior designated hitter Vince Bruno's single up the middle. Krist reached base on a fielder's choice that erased Bruno and scored on Knapp's two-run homer down the right field line. Senior center fielder Chad Bunting followed with a single to left field and later advanced to third base on senior right fielder Danny Oh's double to left field. Finally, Matthews plated both Bunting and Oh with a two-run double down the right field line off of Tiger starter Mike Hager (5.0 innings, seven hits, four runs, two strikeouts).
Pacific came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on Allen Riley's RBI single up the middle and Jason Taasaas' RBI single to right center field to make the contest, 4-3, Cal.
The Bears were able to seal the win with a run in the seventh inning on Bunting's RBI single to right field, and an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning on when Krist led off with his double, advanced to third base on Knapp's fly out to center field and scored on a fielding error by Pacific first baseman John Haberman for the final 6-3 margin.
