MORAGA, Calif. –– Saint Mary's picks up their seventh straight win and their second conference win on Saturday following a tenth-inning, walk-off double from Ryan Novis that secured the 1-0 win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Matt Green was the first runner for the Gaels on Saturday in the bottom of the first as he reached on an error from the third baseman and was then advanced to second on a sac-bunt from Ryan Novis. Kevin Milam was then intentionally walked with two outs for Eddie Haus, but the Tigers got out of the inning before the Gaels could score.

 

• The Tigers lined a single up the middle with two outs to keep the top of the fourth inning alive and followed up with another single to left field. However, Ryan Novis caught a deep fly out in center field to end the inning and get the Gaels out of trouble. Ken Waldichuk cruised through the first five innings as he only allowed three hits and struck out six batters.

 

• Conor Thane drove a base hit up the middle to begin the bottom of the fifth inning and Matt Green followed up with a single to left field. With one out, Bryce Willits came in to pinch hit for JC Santini and sent a single past the third baseman to load the bases. The Gaels couldn't convert and the inning ended with the two teams still in a scoreless deadlock.

 

• It was a pitchers' duel on Saturday as Waldichuk pitched nine complete innings and Tiger starter Ryan Shreve made it through seven. Shreve gave the Gaels trouble and only allowed them to pick up five hits before he was taken out in the bottom of the eighth. He struck out five batters and walked just one. Waldichuk was dominant on Saturday and recorded a new season-high for longest outing as he allowed no earned runs, just three hits, and only one walk. He also recorded nine strikeouts which was a new season-high.

 

• Gio Diaz lead off the bottom of the eighth with a blooper single into short left center before Daniel Mendez was hit by a pitch and awarded first base. Nick Swanson then came in to pitch relief for Pacific with no outs and Joe Vranesh due up to bat. Vranesh grounded into a double play before Jack Murphy grounded out to the second baseman and ended the inning.

 

• Novis started off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to eight games in a row. Milam then flied out to center field for the first out of the inning. Eddie Haus then made it to first on an in-field single before Andrew Shebloski came in to pinch hit. Shebloski reached on a fielders' choice and Novis was out at third to get the second out of the inning. Thane then flied out and the inning ended without any runs coming across which sent to two teams into extra frames.

 

• Carlos Lomeli came in to pitch relief for the Gaels in the top of the tenth inning and the Tigers went three up, three down. Gio Diaz recorded a lead off walk for the Gaels in the bottom of the tenth, followed by a walk of Daniel Mendez. Vranesh then laid down a sacrifice bunt and advanced the runners to second and third. Jacob Talamante was then intentionally walked and it brought Novis to the plate. Novis, who is on an eight-game hitting streak, drove a walk-off single to center field that scored Diaz and Mendez to secure the 1-0, walk-off win.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 9.0: Career-high longest outing for Waldichuk (previously 8.0 on 3/31/18 vs Gonzaga).
• 8: Active hitting streak for Novis (2 H, 2 RBI, 1 2B).
• 1: First shutout of the season for Gael pitchers.
• 3: Total hits for the Tigers on Saturday compared to the Gaels (8).
• 6: Sixth game in a row with no errors, and only one error in the last nine games for SMC.
• 8-1: Saint Mary's is now 8-1 at Louis Guisto Field.

QUOTABLE

"To be able to execute today and get them into a bases-loaded position was great," said head coach Eric Valenzuela. "Obviously we let our hitters swing away and it worked out. We have a lot of trust in all of our guys in any situation."

COMING UP

Saint Mary's will play the final game of the series against Pacific on Sunday with first pitch at 1 p.m. before hitting the road for four games.

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