Jan. 30, 2007

Stockton, Calif. - Following the first winning season since 1999, the 2006 Tigers entered the season with a burden Pacific Baseball had not carried in many years: expectations! The Tigers returned All-American Justin Baum and All-Big West Honorable Mention outfielder Matt Berezay in the middle of the order and All-Big West Honorable Mention starter Luke Massetti to anchor the rotation.

The pressure to win worked in the Tigers' favor as the season began with Pacific taking two of the first three games against Santa Clara, including a 14-6 victory over the Broncos on Feb. 4 that featured a seven-run first inning for the Tigers.

In the midst of a season-long nine-game homestand, the Tigers continued to roll with a three-game sweep of BYU and an 8-3 victory over Sacramento State on Feb. 14.

After dropping the first two contests to UCLA, the Tigers salvaged the series finale behind a combined 3-0 shutout victory over the Bruins to move the Tigers to 7-3 on the season.

The first road trip of the season saw Pacific travel to Reno, Nev. to take on the Nevada Wolf Pack. Game one was the type of offensive slugfest that is expected at Peccole Park as the Tigers delivered four extra-base hits in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie, then held on to win the contest 7-6. One of those extra base hits came from Alex Zanini, as the infielder from St. Mary's HS tripled down the left-field line to plate Pacific's sixth run, then scored the game winning run on a double from Adam Ching. Zanini's heroics would prove to be just a precursor to what he pulled off the next week.

The Tigers went on to take two of three games from the Wolf Pack, then defeated Saint Mary's 4-1 on Feb. 28 to move to 10-4, marking the Tigers' first 10-win month under head coach Ed Sprague.

Pacific's next contest saw the Tigers open play at the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Classic against No. 19 Baylor. Bidding for an upset of their ranked hosts, the Tigers held a 4-3 lead entering the bottom of the ninth, but a bloop double down the line helped Baylor snatch the game away from the Tigers, 5-4.

The following day, Zanini delivered a rare sight for even the most dedicated baseball fan with an inside the park grand slam to cap a six-run third inning as the Tigers defeated Louisiana Tech, 11-9.

Following a tough 13-9 loss to Michigan in the Quala-T Imprints finale, Tigers Matt Berezay and Brett Manning each nabbed a spot on the All-Tournament team with six hits for each player.

Returning to California the following weekend, the Tigers took the diamond against California, taking two of three, including a dramatic win in the series finale on Mar. 19 as the Tigers scored three runs in the ninth to force extra innings, then won the game, 6-5, with a run in 10th. Jason Haar was the hero off the bench as he delivered a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth.

The comeback win over California spurred the Tigers on to a three-game sweep of San Diego State, giving Pacific a 16-7 record with the Big West schedule looming.

After splitting their first two conference series with Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara, Pacific took a break from Big West play to make school history as the Tigers opened their first intercollegiate home field since 1951, Klein Family Field, on April 18 with an 8-3 win over Nevada.

After claiming the first game in Klein Family Field, the Tigers raised the stakes by hosting No. 1 Cal State Fullerton for three games. The Titans swept Pacific and sent the Tigers into a season-high seven-game losing streak as Pacific fell to 22-20 after an 11-2 loss to UC Riverside on May 5.

Pacific responded by closing the season with eight victories in their final 13 contests to become the first squad in Tiger history to record back-to-back 30-win seasons. Pacific finished the 2006 season at 30-25 (Pacific was 30-28 in 2005), including a season-ending sweep of Big West Conference rival Cal State Northridge.

During the stretch run, two Tigers reached individual honors as freshman hurler Joey Centanni earned his first Big West Player of the Week honor with a complete game victory over UC Riverside on May 6, to right the Tigers' season. On May 24, another San Diego native etched his name in Pacific history as sophomore

Justin Baum launched his 29th career home run to move into sole possession of first place in Pacific history on the career home run list. Baum's mammoth blast was a solo shot that led off a five-run fifth inning in the Tigers' 14-8 loss to Stanford.

Following the season, four Tigers received All-Big West Conference honors, highlighted by Berezay earning All-Big West First Team Honors. Joining Berezay on the All-Big West squads were Bob Saunders (All-Big West Second Team), as well as Anthony Jackson and Centanni, who each earned All-Big West Honorable Mention. In early June, the Tigers saw five players move on to the professional ranks. Seniors Eric Stolp, Jackson and Berezay were selected in the MLB Amateur Draft, while Massetti and Steve Spurgeon signed free agent contracts.