Gaels Win Seventh Straight In 1–0 Walk-Off Over Pacific
MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary’s picks up their seventh-straight and their second conference win on Saturday following a tenth-inning, walk-off single from Ryan Novis that secured the 1–0 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Matt Green was the first runner for the Gaels on Saturday in the bottom of the first as he reached on an error and was advanced to second on a sac-bunt from Ryan Novis. Kevin Milam was then intentionally walked with two outs for Eddie Haus, but the Tigers got out of the inning before the Gaels could score.
A few innings passed before the Tigers lined a single up the middle with two outs to keep the fourth inning alive and followed up with another single to left field. However, Novis caught a deep fly out in centerfield to end the inning and get the Gaels out of trouble. Ken Waldichuk cruised through the first five innings, allowing three hits and striking out six batters.
Conor Thane drove a base hit up the middle to begin the bottom of the fifth and Matt Green followed up with a single to left field. With one out, Bryce Willits came in to pinch hit for JC Santini and sent a single past the third baseman to load the bases. The Gaels couldn’t convert and the inning ended with the teams still in a scoreless deadlock.
Carlos Lomeli came in to pitch relief for the Gaels in the top of the tenth inning and Pacific went three up, three down. Gio Diaz recorded a lead off walk for the Gaels in the bottom of the tenth, followed by a walk of Daniel Mendez. Vranesh then laid down a sacrifice bunt and advanced the runners to second and third.
Jacob Talamante was then intentionally walked and brought Novis to the plate. Novis, who has an eight-game hitting streak, drove a walk-off single to center field that scored Diaz and Mendez to secure the 1–0, walk-off win.
“It was great to see the team capitalize on a situation like that,” said Stephen Ellis, Sports Information Director for the Gaels. “After a game that had such dominant pitching, the team really stepped up when it mattered and got the job done.”
It was a pitchers’ duel on Saturday as Waldichuk pitched nine complete innings and Tiger starter Ryan Shreve made it through seven. Shreve only allowed five hits before he was taken out in the bottom of the eighth.
Waldichuk was dominant on Saturday and recorded a new season-high for longest outing (9.0 IP) as he allowed no earned runs, just three hits, and only one walk. He also recorded nine strikeouts which was a new season-high.
“To be able to execute today and get them into a bases-loaded position was great,” said Eric Valenzuela, Head Coach of Saint Mary’s. “Obviously we let our hitters swing away and it worked out. We have a lot of trust in all of our guys in any situation.”
