Extra! Extra! In Moraga
Moraga, Calif. — What began as a pitchers duel on Saturday afternoon led to a 1–0 walk-off victory for the Saint Mary’s Gaels over the Pacific Tigers.
The Gaels would take the second game of the three-game series, improving their record to 2–0 in West Coast Conference (WCC) play. SMC would extend there winning streak to seven games.
Center Fielder Ryan Novis’ number was called on for Saint Mary’s in the bottom of the 10th inning. With the bases loaded, a single to left-center field ended the game for the Gaels. Gio Diaz scored from third base, driving in the only run of the game.
Diaz began the rally in the 10th with a lead-off walk putting him on base. Daniel Mendez was hit by a pitch which put two runners on base. A sacrifice bunt by Joe Vranesh advanced both runners on base, which resulted in one out. Jacob Talamante was walked to have the double play ball in play for Pacific.
Before the extra-inning heroics, Ken Waldichuk took the mound for the Gaels as Ryan Shreeve was opposite for the Tigers. Waldichuk went nine innings of work, which is now a career-high of innings pitched for the ace. Waldichuck added nine strikeouts, allowed only one walk, and three hits in 111 pitches thrown.
Nine innings would usually get the job done for a pitcher, but there was no run support from his Gael teammates. Ryan Shreeve did his job for the Tigers allowing only five hits and one walk; Shreeve went the distance as well, throwing seven innings and five strikeouts in 94 pitches.
Ken Waldichuk was asked how he felt getting the job done for his team and giving the Gaels a chance to win it in extras.
“I felt great,” Waldichuk said. “Still loose in the ninth, and everything was still flowing. I was getting ahead of guys. I was pretty pumped to finally throw nine innings in a game.”
Ryan Novis came into the game batting at .640, 13 for his last 25 at the plate, reaching base safely in nine straight plate appearances, a seven-game hitting streak and also a six-game multi-hit streak. Novis finished the day 2–4 with the game-winning RBI single to win the game.
“Outstanding job by our pitchers keeping us in the game the whole time and not giving up a run,” Novis said.
Carlos Lomeli came in relief for Ken Waldichuk in the 10th and closed the game out in 16 pitches going 1–2–3 through the lineup.
Novis got the job done as Pacific’s Reliever Henrick Reinersten left a pitch down the middle of the plate. The Loss was charged to the Tigers’ Lucas Sweany who walked Gio Diaz earlier in the inning.
Novis was asked what his approach was in the game-winning at-bat.
“I knew I was going to get a lot of curveballs to try to get me to ground into a double play,” Novis said. “I told myself to try to get it in the air and I was able to do that.”
The walk-off win was the first for the Gaels this season.
