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 Michael Hernandez swings during the Aggies' win against Cal on Tuesday. Hernandez had a three-run homer in the game. (Wayne Tilcock, Davis Enterprise) |
Feb. 14, 2006
DAVIS, Calif. - Brandon Oliver and Jimmy Goetz each had three hits on Tuesday, and Aaron Hanke knocked in four runs, as UC Davis downed California 13-9 in a nonconference baseball game at Dobbins Stadium.
The Aggies won their second straight game and improved to 4-2 overall. Cal, which was led by two doubles, a homer and 7 RBI's from second baseman Josh Satin, fell to 3-5. It was UC Davis' second straight win over the Golden Bears, dating back to last season.
Michael Hernandez had a three-run homer for UC Davis, his second of the season.
The Aggies answered a 3-0 deficit in the first inning with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. In the eighth, after Cal closed to 9-7 with a four-run rally only to have UC Davis respond with four runs of their own to rebuild the lead.
The 13-9 victory made a winner of starter Jeremy McChesney who settled down after a rough start to go five innings and allow just five hits and three runs, only one of them earned. McChesney picked up his first win of the season. Craig Bennigson lasted just 1.1 innings and allowed seven hits and seven earned runs, taking the defeat and falling to 0-1.
"The biggest thing I'm proud of was every time they put something up there (on the scoreboard) we had an answer," said Aggie coach Rex Peters. "So really, our perserverance at the plate is why we won that game."
Cal wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with Satin doubling in two runs. Hanke's two-run double to right-center field scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning, helping the Aggies tie the game 3-3. A four-run rally by UC Davis in the second inning - highlighted by another two-run double from Hanke - gave the Aggies a 7-3 lead.
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That cushion benefitted McChesney who didn't allow a hit after the first inning until there were two outs in the fifth. During one stretch, he retired eight straight batters.
Trailing 9-3 in the eighth, Cal battled back with four runs, three of them coming on Satin's homer to left off reliever Brent Nichols. Errecart followed two batters later with another home run to left and the Aggies' lead had shrunk to 9-7.
UC Davis re-opened the lead in the bottom of the eighth, though, with Goetz knocking in Lukas Kirby with a single up the middle and Hernandez hitting a three-run shot to left.
Satin's two-run double in the ninth gave Cal its final two runs. Nik Aurora pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two runs, to earn his first save.
Oliver singled each of his first three at-bats and finished 3-for-5 and Goetz singled his last three at-bats. Hanke's pair of two-run doubles were part of a string of three straight for him after he posted one on Sunday against San Diego.
"It's one of those games where it's a little bit sloppy defensively and it goes back and forth and both teams are a little bit arm-weary on the mound," said Peters. "When those ingredients come together you get a high-scoring offensive affair."
UC Davis continues its 13-game season-opening homestand with a three-game series against Utah this weekend. Friday's game begins at 2 p.m. with Saturday's game at 1 p.m. and Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
