MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Baseball entered Friday's series opener against Pacific as one of the hottest teams in the WCC. Winners of four-straight, including their first WCC sweep of 2021, the Gaels seemed certain to extend that streak against the Tigers on Friday. Pacific used a pair of big innings to overpower the Gaels with a final score of 9-4, taking Friday's series opener and snapping a four-game winning streak for Saint Mary's. The Gaels are now 18-17 (7-9) while Pacific improves to 10-23 (1-9).
 
BIG INNINGS
Pacific was able to blast past the Gaels on Friday thanks to five runs in the third, and four runs in the ninth. Ryan Taurek was the victim of allowing five runs in the third, all with two outs. The Gaels starter allowed a two-run homer to Thomas Gavello to open the scoring, before three more runs crossed with two outs. The ninth inning was just as kind to Pacific, at the time nursing a one-run lead. With Chris Santiago on the mound for the Gaels, Pacific scored four more times, including another two-run homer from Gavello, who ended his day with four runs batted in. Pacific recorded 12 hits, and nine came in those two innings.
 
THE QUICK RESPONSE
Saint Mary's answered back quickly after allowing five runs in the third, with two of their own in both the third and fourth innings. Javy Espinoza singled to open the third, and on the next pitch, Coleman Schmidt doubled down the right field line. After a pair of unsuccessful attempts at bringing home a run, Justin Banks delivered a two-run single up the middle to make it 5-2. In the fourth, Marc Goulart opened the inning with a walk, and Nathan Chong singled him to second. After a sacrifice bunt, it was Espinoza and Schmidt again doing damage, both singling home runs to make it 5-4. After the fourth inning, however, the Gaels recorded just one hit.
 
PAINTING A PICTURE
One could look at the final line score for Ryan Taurek and surmise that he was hit around pretty good on Friday, but he was great aside from the third inning. Taurek retired the first six batters he faced, and only allowed two hits outside of the third inning. He threw a season-high 113 pitches, but made it through six innings of work, allowing seven hits, walking two, and setting a career-best with eight strikeouts. If the third inning didn't exist, Taurek threw five shutout innings. Thanks to the efforts of Taurek and Liam Steigerwald, who pitched the seventh and eighth innings, the Gaels struck out 11, marking the fifth time in the last six games the Gaels have struck out ten or more.
 
UP NEXT
The three-game series continues and concludes tomorrow as the Gaels and Tigers play a doubleheader. The series shifted around due to expected rains in the Bay Area on Sunday, so game one begins at 11:00 am and game two will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one. Sam Bower and Ky Bush will get the starts for Saint Mary's as the Gaels look to take the doubleheader and the series from the Tigers.