Sports briefs: Pacifics rally for second consecutive walk-off win
The San Rafael Pacifics benefitted from five walks issued by Martinez’s bullpen to literally walk off with a 4-3 home victory on Friday night.
San Rafael (5-1 Pecos league) trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 11th inning. The Pacifics finally knocked Martinez starter Harrison Aiken out of the game after 10 innings then feasted against the bullpen.
Tyler Georgeson drew the fourth walk of the inning to force the tying run to home plate. Grant Victor then drew the fifth walk of the inning to end the game.
Kevin Johnson had three of San Rafael’s seven hits on the day. Aiken kept the Pacifics at bay, pitching nine scoreless innings after surrendering two runs in the first.
San Rafael leaned on two pitchers to earn the win. Starter Jayson Summers went 5.1 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs. Austin Fitzpatrick pitched 5.2 innings in relief, allowing four hits and one earned run.
Knicks win opener
The Novato Knicks got two RBIs apiece from Braeden Holliday and Jared Esparza wo secure an 8-6 win against the Humboldt Crabs in their season opener on Friday night.
The Knicks (1-0) scored four runs in the third inning to take the lead then added two crucial insurance runs in the top of the eighth.
Cooper Callison, Joey Taddie, Niko Tejada and Lucas Townsend had two hits apiece for Novato. Pitchers Tanner Fonoti and Jake Dent allowed a combined 11 hits and six runs — only two earned — over nine innings.
College baseball
Former Drake High standout Eamonn Lance, a 2019 graduate, had two hits including a home run for Santa Clara University during its College World Series game against Arkansas on Friday night.
The Broncos lost 13-6 in their first game of the double-elimination tournament. Santa Clara faced Arizona on Saturday night but the result was unavailable at press time.
Lance led off the eighth inning with his seventh home run of the season to pull Santa Clara within 13-4. Arkansas scored eight runs combined during the sixth and seventh innings.
For the season, Lance hit .338 with 19 RBIs in 20 games, missing most of his senior year with a hand injury. Lance was named the MCAL’s baseball player of the year following his junior season in 2018.