Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. --- With the scored tied in the bottom of the 10th inning, Shawn O’Brien hit a two-out single to drive in DonAndre Clark with the winning run and give the Saint Mary’s Gaels a 4-3 victory over the Portland Pilots in the opener of a three-game West Coast Conference series played on Friday afternoon at Louis Guisto Field. The Pilots had previously rallied from two runs down with a run in the top of the seventh and another in the eighth to pull even with the Gaels.
 
After the Pilots (13-25, 5-8 WCC) were retired in order in the top of the 10th, Clark led off the bottom half of the frame with single through the left side of the infield. He was then sacrificed over to second base before Portland reliever Colin Feldtman intentionally walked Brenden Kalfus to put Gaels on first and second with one out.
 
Feldtman then struck out Anthony Villa for the second out of the inning, but O’Brien was able to come through with a base hit to left that allowed Clark to come around and score.
 
Feldtman (2-2) worked 4.1 innings of relief in his longest outing of the season. He fanned a pair and gave up three hits, two in the 10th. Feldtman replaced Brandon Snyder on the mound with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth. The right-hander immediately induced an inning-ending double play off the bat of Riley Heinzer.
 
Saint Mary’s (12-25, 3-7 WCC) reliever Gary Cornish (2-4) tossed 2.0 perfect innings to earn the win out of the bullpen. He struck out a pair in relief of starter Ben Griset, who allowed all three Portland runs during his 8.0 innings.
 
The Pilots’ first run came in the top of the fourth inning. Down 1-0, Ben Grubb singled up the middle that allowed Cody Lenahan to score from second base with the tying run.
 
The Gaels then got to Portland starter Billy Sahlinger for a pair of runs in the sixth inning to re-claim the lead. The lead was short-lived, however, as Jeff Melby registered an RBI in the seventh on a ground-out and Brian Frattali tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
 
Sahlinger’s final line included eight hits in 5.1 innings. The freshman right-hander struck out three and did not issue a walk.
 
The Gaels claimed a slim 13-12 advantage in hits, while the Pilots left nine runners stranded on base. Grubb, Melby, Beau Fraser and Caleb Whalen each had a pair of hits.
 
The second game of the series will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m.