MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's used an offensive outburst and a solid start from Ryan Taurek to win Saturday's contest by a score of 13-4. The win clinches the series for the Gaels and moves them to 8-6 in WCC play.
 
After Taurek stranded a Pacific runner at third base in the top half of the first, Coleman Schmidt brought home Gavin Napier with an infield single in the bottom of the inning.
 
SMC's onslaught did not stop there as Jared Mettam would hit a two-run home run to extend the Gaels lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second. The third-base umpire initially ruled the ball foul, but the entire Saint Mary's dugout and staff asked for an appeal since the clang of the ball off the foul pole could be heard throughout the ballpark.
 
The Gaels were on the attack again in the fourth when Napier would bring in Dalton Mashore on a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
Taurek's day would be complete after four scoreless innings of work in his start for his longest outing this season as he works his way back from an early season injury. He allowed just three hits and two walks with one strikeout. Taurek was followed by Ryan Sanders who would pitch the next 3.2 innings for the Gaels allowing three unearned runs after an error at short and striking out four Pacific hitters.
 
The Tigers first three runs came in the fifth inning on a Chase Graves single and Jeremy Lea triple, cutting the previous lead to 4-3.
 
The Gaels would immediately answer through on a Christian Almanza home run to right field. The Gaels did not stop there in the fifth inning, rallying for another four runs and sending 12 batters to the plate. Blake McDonald doubled to score Schmidt, then Mettam singled home Nathan Chong.
 
McDonald would then score on a throwing error from the Tigers, Napier had an RBI single of his own scoring Mettam, and finally Schmidt would draw a bases-loaded walk to bring in Napier and close out the big fifth inning for the Gaels giving them a 10-3 lead.
 
This long fifth inning was extended when the Tigers pitcher lost his footing, and maintenance had to be done. After about ten minutes of field work done by most of the inactive pitchers, the long inning would resume.
 
SMC would continue to score runs in the following sixth and seventh innings. The first coming on a Nick Mistone pinch-hit sacrifice fly bringing in Mashore. Then two more runs produced in the seventh on Schmidt's two-run home run driving in Almanza.
 
Ryan Spalliero would finish the eighth inning with a strikeout, and then Nico Azpilcueta would finish the ninth inning making his collegiate debut with a strikeout of his own.
 
Schmidt, Mettam, and Napier all had multiple RBI, and five Gaels scored at least two times. For the time being the win bumped the Gaels up to fourth in the conference standings with an opportunity to move even higher on Sunday.
 
UP NEXT
Game three against the Tigers is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Louis Guisto Field.