San Diego, CA – Senior designated hitter
GEORGE GALLAGHER belted a pinch-hit solo homer in the top of the top of the tenth before Point Loma Nazarene scored once in the bottom of the inning as the teams played to a 8-8 tie at Carrol B. Land Field on Monday.
The game went 11 innings before being called for darkness.
Sophomore shortstop
BRIAN ELLERSON drove in a pair of runs as the Red Hawks (0-0-1) opened their season with the deadlock. It's the first tied contest for Montclair State since 1998 when it forged a 5-5 tie with Allentown College on March 30 at Yogi Berra Stadium.
The Sea Lions (8-8-1) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first three innings. Brad Vericker belted a two-run homer in the first and Maison Henderson delivered a run in the second on a fielder's choice for a 3-0 advantage. Tim Santoni recorded the final run on a ground out in the third
Montclair State would get on the board in the fourth. Sophomore right fielder
CHRIS BARAN belted a solo home run to center for the first Red Hawk run and Montclair pulled within 4-3 in the fifth when
FRANK FRANCIA scored on an error and catcher
JEFF SCHRIBER plated another with a fielder's choice.
Point Loma added a run in the fifth, making the score 6-3, but MSU got back within a run in the sixth on a
SEAN MORRISON fielder's choice with another coming around on an error. Jesus Pimental extended the lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth however Ellerson blasted a two-run home run in the eighth knotting the contest at 7-7.
Gallagher was called upon to pinch hit in the 10
th and crushed the first pitch he saw from reliever Josh VanVessen over the left-center field fence giving the Red Hawks their first lead of the contest.
The Sea Lions answered in the bottom of the innings. Scott Savage singled with one out and advanced to second on an error. J.D. Harkey followed with a single to right-center scoring Savage with the tying run. Point Loma would load the bases with two outs, however, Montclair was able to escape the jam with ground out.
Neither team would mount a threat in the 11
th inning.
Montclair State starter
GREG BELSON went the first 5 1/3 innings allowing seven runs and nine hits with four strikeouts while walking four. Junior reliever
JIM WHALEN tossed three scoreless innings. Baran,
FRANK LONGO and
FRANK FRANCIA all had two hits for MSU, which had 11 in the contest.