April 11, 2009
Final Stats
DAVIS, Calif. - Junior Jared Thompson and redshirt freshman Tony Bongiovanni both drove home two runs and UC Davis held off a ninth-inning rally to defeat UC Santa Barbara, 9-8, in the finale of a Big West Conference baseball series at Dobbins Stadium Saturday afternoon. The win helps the Aggies avoid the sweep and earns them their first conference victory of the season.
UC Davis is now 6-23 overall and 1-5 against conference competition. The Gauchos fall to 19-10 and 5-4.
UCSB rallied in the ninth inning to score two runs and had the bases loaded with no outs. Freshman Scott Lyman got out of the jam behind two strikeouts and a diving catch from left fielder Kyle Mihaylo to end the game and pick up his team-leading second save of the season.
Thompson and Bongiovanni finished with two RBIs apiece to help lead the Aggies. Thompson hit a solo home run in the first inning and had a sacrifice fly while Bongiovanni doubled home two runs as a pinch hitter in the Aggies' four-run sixth inning. Senior Grant Hirneise also drove in a run and tied a game-high with two runs scored. A total of seven UC Davis players drove in runs during the game.
Senior Adam Bennett pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his second win of the season. He finished with two strikeouts, as did Lyman and reliever Andy Suiter.
For the Gauchos, Brian Gump, Eric Oliver and Ryan Cavan all finished with two RBIs. Zachary Samuels gave up three runs in the loss. Starter Mike Ford allowed five runs on five hits and walked three in the no-decision.
The Aggies kept the game tight through six innings before taking the lead with four runs in the sixth and two runs in the eighth.
Santa Barbara opened the game with three runs in the first inning off a two-run homer from Oliver and a solo shot from Cavan.
The Aggies answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Walks to sophomore Daniel Cepin and junior Ty Kelly, and a double from sophomore Justin Schafer loaded the bases with no outs. Thompson drove Cepin home on a fielder's choice and senior Ryan Scoma hit a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Schafer.
The teams traded scores in the third inning. The Gaucho run was unearned. Thompson opened the Aggies' half of the third with a solo home run.
UCSB took another three-run lead with two runs in the sixth inning. Brian Gump and Cavan singled in the runs. However, UC Davis responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take its first lead of the game at 6-5. Hirneise singled in the first run and Bongiovanni followed with a two-run pinch-hit double down the left field line. Freshman Scott Kalush doubled during the next at-bat to give UC Davis the lead.
The Aggies tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth inning to jump ahead by three, 9-5. Hirneise walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Michael Aldrete. Kalush walked and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Cepin followed with a single to left to score Hirniese from third base and Kelly singled following a fly out to plate Kalush.
In the ninth, UCSB got its first three hitters on base behind two walks and a single. Lyman then struck out the next batter. A walk to John DeAlba brought home a run. Following another strikeout, Gump walked to score another run and bring the Gauchos within one run. Carlson then sent a shallow fly ball to left center field that Mihaylo caught on a dive to end the game.
UC Davis is back in action next week with five games. The Aggies open the week at Saint Mary's on Saturday at 3 p.m. They return home for a game with Cal on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. and then travel to Cal Poly for a three-game conference series. Wednesday's game will be simulcast live through KDVS 90.3 FM and ucdavisaggies.com.
