March 19, 2012
Final Stats
DAVIS, Calif. - Kevin Barker went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI while Mike Mazzara was 2-for-4 with a double, but Saint Mary's got out to a quick lead to claim a 5-2 win over UC Davis on Monday at Dobbins Stadium.
UC Davis moves to 10-9 overall while Saint Mary's improves to 12-7.
Barker also drew two walks, while Paul Politi walked twice and drove in a run in his 1-for-3 day. Brett Morgan went 1-for-3 and pinch hitter Spencer Brann entered in the ninth inning where he doubled to left field then came around to score the Aggies' final run of the day.
Collin Ferguson and Chris Murphy each went 3-for-4 to lead Saint Mary's, combining for four RBI and two runs.
The Gaels jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Aggie starter Tom Briner in the first inning, stringing together four singles. After Ricky Boas hit a pop up to lead off the inning, Cole Norton singled up the middle, then advanced to third on a passed ball and a long fly ball from Troy Channing. Norton scored on Ferguson's single down the right field line, then Ferguson reached third after Patrick Wisdom singled and Briner threw a wild pitch.
Ferguson and Wisdom each scored on a single by Chris Murphy, but Murphy was thrown out as he attempted to advance to second to end the inning.
Barker led off the bottom half of the inning by drawing a walk, then scored on Politi's RBI base hit two at bats later.
Saint Mary's, however, put another run up in the third inning. Channing singled into left center field, then moved to second on a wild pitch. WIth two outs, Murphy's base hit scored Channing to give the Gaels a 4-2 lead.
Briner settled in after that, striking out the side in the fourth and retiring seven of eight Saint Mary's batters until Murphy led off the sixth with a single, then scored on Donald Collins' sacrifice fly to extend the Gael lead to 5-1.
Briner was replaced by Ben Burke in the seventh who walked two of the three batters he faced. Patrick Hennessey was called in with one out and runners on first and second to replace Burke and promptly forced the final two outs of the inning.
The Aggies had a chance in the seventh when Evan Heptig and Barker drew back-to-back four-pitch walks with two outs. UC Davis loaded the bases after Mazzara was hit by a pitch, but Politi struck out to leave the Aggie runners stranded.
UC Davis started another late rally in the bottom of the ninth with Brann's pinch-hit double with one out. Austin March then came in as a pinch hitter, grounding out to short to advance Brann to third. Then Kevin Barker hit a line drive base hit up the middle to score Brann. Mazzara's double put runners on second and third with two outs, then Politi drew a full-count walk to load the bases. Nick Lynch's fly ball to left field, however, ended the game as Saint Mary's took the 5-2 win.
Briner moved to 2-2 with the loss, giving up five runs on 10 hits. The senior righty struck out three batters and allowed just the second walk of his entire season.
Jordan Mills earned the win for Saint Mary's to improve to 2-1, giving up just one run on four hits in 6.2 innings of work. He walked six Aggies and struck out two. Patrick Keane received the save, his second of the year.
UC Davis will break for final exams, returning to action on Monday, Mar. 26 against Nevada at 2:30 p.m. at Dobbins Stadium.
