Deragisch Delivers Ninth-Inning Blast to Lift No. 1 UC Irvine to Series Win Over Pacific
May 9, 2009
STOCKTON, Calif. --- Eric Deraigsch belted a two out, two-run home run in the ninth to snap a 3-3 tie and give No. 1 UC Irvine an eventual 5-4 win over Pacific Saturday at Klein Family Field. The Anteaters captured the series against the Tigers and improved to 16-1 in the Big West and 36-11 overall.
The home run was Deragisch's second of the season but the opportunity only presented itself after shortstop Ben Orloff beat the throw on a two-out, infield single to extend the inning for Deragisch. Deragisch, facing Pacific reliever Mark McCain, jumped on an 0-1 curve ball and lifting it over the left-field fence for a 5-3 lead.
After being held scoreless through three, the Anteaters broke through in the fourth. Jeff Cusick singled to lead off the inning and Francis Larson and Ronnie Shaeffer followed with a pair of bunt singles. Casey Stevenson drove in the first run of the game with a towering sacrifice fly to right and Tommy Reyes and Ryan Fisher followed with back-to-back RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers responded, getting a run in their half of the fourth on a run-scoring double by Mike McKeever to score J.B. Brown. Pacific then led off the fifth with consecutive hits and Nick Longmire drove in both runs with a hard single up the middle to knot the score at 3-3. After securing the second out, starter Christian Bergman issued a pair of walks (one intentional) but retired Brian Martin on a fly ball to center.
Bergman pitched six innings in the no-decision, limiting Pacific to three runs on eight hits while striking out three. Brock Bardeen picked up for Bergman and faced the minimum in two innings to earn the win and climb to 5-0. Eric Pettis gave up a home run to Mike Walker to lead off the bottom of the ninth but recovered and struck out the side to pick up his 15th save.
Reyes led the Anteaters, going 3 for 4 with an RBI while Orloff, Larson and Shaeffer each had two hits apiece. Deragisch had two RBI on 1 for 5 hitting.
Pacific was led by Longmire, who was 1 for 4 with two RBI. Starter David Rowse pitched a season-high 7.2 innings, giving up three runs on 12 hits in the no-decision. McCain dropped to 2-2 after giving up the two-run home run to Deragisch.
The series concludes Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
