MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Baseball completed the sweep over the Pacific Tigers, pulling away late for a 15-7 win after hitting a season-high four home runs on Sunday.
 
The Tigers trimmed a six-run Gaels lead to two in the top of the eighth before SMC erupted for six runs in the bottom of the inning to put away the win.
 
After a Nathan Chong sac fly in the bottom of the first put Saint Mary's up 1-0, Pacific got a two-run single in the second for a 2-1 Tigers lead. That would be their last lead of the game though, as shortstop Jared Mettam hit the Gaels first home run of the day to lead off the bottom of the second to tie the game up at 2-2.
 
A two-run single by Chong put the Gaels ahead 4-2 after two innings and Dalton Mashore led off the third with a solo home run for a 5-2 SMC lead. Chong delivered again later in the inning with a home run to right with Christian Almanza on base at it was 7-2 Saint Mary's.
 
SMC led 9-4 when Pacific got one run back in the seventh and then plated two more with a double in the eighth that cut it to a 9-7 Saint Mary's lead. The Tigers had the go-ahead run at the plate when the Gaels called on Preston Howey to come into the game with runners at the corners and two down. Howey would get Tigers third baseman Chaz Myers to strike out and stop the Pacific rally.
 
Howey's strike out helped stem the Tiger's momentum and the Gaels offense would swing it right back to the home team with their six-run outburst. Bill Ralston singled through the middle to start the inning, and that was followed by Almanza's third walk of the game. A fly out by Coleman Schmidt got Ralston to third, and from there Head Coach Greg Moore began to push the right buttons to put pressure on the Tigers defense.
 
Hunter Hirayama pinch ran for Ralston at third and Almanza took off for second, getting in a rundown long enough for Hirayama to race home put SMC up 10-7. Nick Mistone pinch hit for Chong and doubled into left to score Almanza and the Gaels had a four-run lead back at 11-7. Saint Mary's would score four more runs on singles by Blake McDonald and Mashore, and a wild pitch and an error.

Garret Plata got the win by throwing 3.1 innings of one-run ball in a bullpen day for the Gaels, and Howey collected his second save of the season.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Gaels are now 9-6 in WCC play and are in a tie for third in the conference standings with Gonzaga. Mettam extended his on-base streak to 14 games and his hit streak to six games. Ralston extended his on-base streak to 11 games.
 
Almanza reached base every time after being hit by a pitch in his first two plate appearances followed by the three walks.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will head to UC Davis to take on the Aggies on Tuesday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m.