Feb. 24, 2006
Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. - Senior Tyler LaTorre earned both runs batted in while the pitching corps of Vince DeCoito, Bryan Evans and Nik Aurora scattered nine base hits and a sole unearned run, leading UC Davis to a 2-1 victory over Oregon State during the second day of the River City Classic collegiate baseball tournament Friday.
The Aggies improve to 7-4 for the year. The Beavers, ranked eighth nationally by Baseball America and sixth in the national coaches' poll, even their record at 4-4.
Evans entered the game in the fourth inning as an emergency replacement for DeCoito, who was removed due to an apparent injury. With two out and inherited runners Geoff Wagner on third base and Ryan Gipson on second, Evans hit center fielder Tyler Graham to load the bases, then coaxed Scott Santschi to fly out to left field for the third out.
Evans also escaped a brief OSU rally in the seventh inning. Santschi led off the inning with a walk, then shortstop Darwin Barney drove a single to left. With no outs and two on, Beaver first baseman Bill Rowe sent a bunt trickling down the third baseline. Evans pounced on the play and got Rowe, but the successful sacrifice sent the two runners into scoring position. The Aggies escaped the threat as Cole Gillespie and Mitch Canham bounced harmlessly to second baseman Daniel Descalso.
In the meantime, UC Davis scored its runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Descalso, starting his first Aggie game since recovering from an offseason injury, launched a double to the right-center gap, then scored on a single by LaTorre. The Aggies added their second run when Descalso's single through the hole loaded the bases, then OSU starter Jonah Nickerson walked LaTorre on four straight balls.
The Beavers scored their lone run in the eighth inning. Third baseman Shea McFeely drilled a line drive to right for a single, then advanced to second when Evans' pickoff attempt shot past Lukas Kirby. Two batters later, Gipson sent a single to right field to score McFeely. With one out and facing the Aggie stopper Aurora, OSU leadoff man Tyler Graham was frozen on a full-count strike; and LaTorre gunned down Gipson, who was attempting a steal.
Descalso and third baseman Evan Hudson finished the game with two hits each on the Aggie side of the scorecard, while Rowe went 2-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice for the Beavers. Barney, McFeely and Gipson each added a pair of hits for OSU.
DeCoito and Evans each lasted 3.2 innings in their respective stints, with Evans earning his second relief win of the year. Aurora picked up his third save. Nickerson took the loss for OSU, despite fanning seven Aggie batters and posting a quality start of six full innings with a pair of runs allowed.
The Beavers stranded a total of 13 runners, including the bases loaded in the first and fourth innings.
In Friday's early game at Dobbins Stadium, Nick Ison surrendered six hits and just one earned un in eight innings of work, as Washington State picked up a 5-1 win over Brigham Young. Outfielders Jay Miller and Jared Prince each collected two hits for WSU while Kent Walton batted 2-for-4 with a solo homer for BYU.
The River City Classic, hosted jointly by Sacramento State and UC Davis, continues through Sunday. The Aggies are next in action against Washington State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Oregon State (4-4) 000 000 010 - 1 9 1UC Davis (7-4) 000 110 00x - 2 8 2
Pitchers - OSU: Jonah Nickerson, Daniel Turpen (7), Kevin Gunderson and Mitch Canham. UC Davis: Vince DeCoito,
Bryan Evans (4), Nik Aurora (8) and Tyler LaTorre. WP - Evans, 2-0. LP - Nickerson, 1-2. Sv - Aurora, 3.
Hitters - OSU: Darwin Barney 2x5; Bill Rowe 2x2, SH; Cole Gillespie 1x4, Shea McFeely 2x4, 3B; Ryan Gipson 2x4, 2B, RBI. UC Davis: David Huffman 1x4, 2B; Evan Hudson 2x4; Daniel Descalso 2x3, 2B; Tyler LaTorre 1x3, 2 RBI; Lukas Kirby 1x4; Dan Baldini 1x3.
