May 18, 2008

Box Score

Portland, OR - Saint Mary's (26-26-1/8-13 WCC) scored five runs in the eighth inning and three more in the ninth for a 10-4, come-from-behind victory over the Portland Pilots (21-31/3-18 WCC) in a West Coast Conference baseball game on Sunday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The win gives the Gaels a three-game sweep over the Pilots.

The Pilots led for most of the game and took a 3-2 lead into the top of the eighth inning. But after the Pilots recorded two outs, the Gaels exploded for five runs to take control of the game. Ryan Mulligan tied the game with an RBI single up the middle off of Portland reliever Scott Burris. Zach Varce then took over pitching duties with two on and two out. After Varce issued a walk to load the bases, Anthony Aliotti spanked a bases-clearing double to left-center field that gave Saint Mary's a 6-3 lead.

Randy Wells followed Aliotti with an RBI double up the middle. Wells, who tried to make it to second on the play, was thrown out to end the inning.

With the score now 7-3, Saint Mary's added three more in the ninth inning. Only one of the runs was earned, as Portland was again hurt by errors. The Pilots committed five miscues on the day.

Despite a solid outing on the hill, Burris (1-3) is saddled with the loss. Entering the eighth inning, Burris had retired all four batters he faced, including two on strikeouts. He ended up with three runs allowed on two hits and a walk.

Portland starter Brennan Thorpe pitched an effective 5.2 innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on three hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Aliotti, who started and finished the day playing first base, picked up the win on the hill for Saint Mary's. He took the mound to start the fifth inning and worked 3.0 innings, allowing just two base runners. He held the Pilots to one hit, while striking out two and walking one.

SMC starter Brandon Berl gave up three runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. Scott Schneider, who started the game at third base, pitched the final two innings.

It looked good for Portland early on as senior OF Danny Meier belted a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Meier's league-leading 15th homer of the year gave UP an early 1-0 advantage.

After the Gaels plated two in the top of the fourth inning to stake a 2-1 lead, the Pilots responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame. Meier came through once again with an RBI double to left-center field that tied the game at 2-2. Meier, who advanced to third when the Gaels tried to throw out junior 1B Chase Powell at home, then scored on an infield single by senior DH Billy Krause.

Portland would enjoy a 3-2 until the eighth inning.

UP freshman SS Riley Henricks knocked in a run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single.

Both teams finished with 10 hits on the day. Meier, who hit two doubles, finished with three hits for Portland, while senior OF Cory Wiltshire had two. Brian Hawkins led the Gaels with four hits.

Saint Mary's ended the season on a high note sweeping the three game series, and in doing so passed LMU for seventh in the WCC.