SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- The Pilots rallied from an early deficit to tie the score with the help of a mammoth home run by Hunter Montgomery, but the San Diego Toreros scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to prevail 4-3 over Portland in a West Coast Conference baseball game played on Thursday night at Fowler Park. It's the second straight game to go to extra innings for the Pilots.
 
After the Toreros (24-14, 8-8 WCC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead, the Pilots (20-18, 2-14 WCC) responded with three unanswered runs to tie the score. Portland's first run came in the top of the fifth inning when Tracye Tammaro produced an RBI double, scoring Montgomery from second base.
 
In the top of the seventh with Daniel Lopez on first base, Montgomery launched a no-doubter high over the left field wall, tying the score 3-3. It's Montgomery's team-best seventh home run of the year. After that, Tammaro was hit by a pitch and would get all the way to third base, but the Toreros escaped the frame without any more damage.
 
From there neither team was able to cross the plate during the next few innings as the game went to extra innings. After the Pilots went scoreless in the top of the 10th, Tora Otsuka led off the home half of the frame by drawing a walk. He then worked his way to third before scoring the game-winner when Jeff Houghtby singled to left.
 
Portland starter Cameron Richman worked the first 4.0 innings and was charged with three runs, and relievers Nate Packard and Christian Peters combined to hold USD scoreless during the next 5.0 innings. Peters (1-2) takes the loss after allowing San Diego's run in the 10th.
 
Reliever Travis Kuhn (2-2) earns the win on the hill for the Toreros. He pitched 4.0 innings after taking over for starter Chris Murphy.
 
San Diego scored their first run in the third inning on an RBI ground out, and Cody Jefferies provided a two-run double in the fourth as the Toreros claimed that 3-0 lead.
 
Game two of this three-game series is set for Friday night at 6 p.m.