STOCKTON, Calif. — Host Pacific struck early Thursday against University of San Francisco ace
Riley Ornido and the momentum carried through the rest of the game, as the Tigers scored 13 runs on 17 hits to take the opener of a West Coast Conference series, 13-6, at Klein Family Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Tigers (21-16, 8-8 WCC) had runners in scoring position against Riley Ornido (5-4) in each of his four-plus innings pitched, finally chasing him in the fifth. They loaded the bases in the first without a ball leaving the infield (infield single back to the pitcher, a throwing error on a bunt and an intentional walk), then got a two-run single from Bryce Kirk to make it 2-0. They tagged Ornido for two more in the fourth thanks to three consecutive one-out base hits, including a Keaton Glover RBI triple and a James Free RBI single through the right side that made it 4-0.
- Pacific knocked Ornido out of the game in the fifth when five consecutive batters reached base with one out, capped by Wyatt Hoffman's RBI single and James Arakawa's two-run double off the left field wall, making it 7-0. They would score multiple runs in five different innings Friday, with three more in the sixth and three more in the eighth on Keaton Glover's three-run home run to get to 13 runs.
- Jack Winkler put the Dons (21-6, 10-6 WCC) on the board in the top of the fifth with a long home run over the tall wall in right-center field. It was his fourth home run of the season and first since March 12 at Fresno State. He also drove in the Dons' second run of the game with an RBI single up the middle in the seventh that made it 10-2 at the time.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- 2: Thomas McCarthy went 2 for 3 Thursday for his first career multi-hit game. He singled in each of his first two at-bats, snapping a streak of four consecutive appearances without a hit.
- 17: Pacific's 17 hits were the most allowed by San Francisco this season. The Dons have given up 13 or more hits in three straight games and have allowed 11 or more in four of the last six (1-3 record in those games).
COMING UP
- Game two of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday. San Francisco lefty Scott Parker (5-2, 3.59 ERA) will face Pacific right-hander Hayden Pearce (3-0, 1.69 ERA). Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.