BSB: LEWIS-CLARK ST 7, GEORGE FOX 3 - Bruins End Season with Late Loss to Warriors

LEWISTON, Idaho – Trent Bridges’ two-run single with two out in the last of the 7th snapped a 3-3 tie and the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors, the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA, went on to a 7-3 win over the George Fox University Bruins in the final regular season game of 2010 for the visitors Wednesday afternoon here at Harris Field.

The Bruins opened the game with a bang as Josh Burch went deep to left center for his fifth home run of the season off Warriors’ starter Colby Hawk.  Singles by Michael Woo and Sam Stahl and a walk to Seth Anderson then loaded the bases, and Hawk was replaced by Seth Haehl, who got out of the jam with a line drive double play to third off the bat of Josh Rapacz and a fly out by Jason Brown.

The Warriors tied it in the home half off George Fox starter Brian Ranta on a lead-off double by Brian Gaylord, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly by Josh Ashenbrenner.  The Bruins regained the lead in the 4th when Rapacz singled, pinch-runner Cody Curtin went to second on a sacrifice and third on a pop out to second on which second baseman Danny Anguiano made a nice play, and scored on a wild pitch.

Gaylord’s two-run homer in the 5th, his seventh of the season, after a single by Bryson Tajiri put the Warriors ahead for the first time in the game 3-2, but the Bruins rallied for a 3-3 deadlock in the 6th.  Rapacz singled, and Curtin ran for him a second time under NAIA rules which allow a ‘courtesy runner’ for catchers.  Singles by Brown and Eric Gantenbein brought Curtin around for the tie.

The Warriors broke the deadlock with three in the 7th off Bruin reliever Travis Schroeder (2-2).  Jake Eccles singled, then Ashenbrenner singled with two out and Kawika Emsley-Pai walked to load the bases.  Bridges’ single to left scored Eccles and Ashenbrenner, and Emsley-Pai continued home when the ball was misplayed in left for an error.  The Warriors’ final run in the 8th came when Jason Hague singled, stole second, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on a hit by Gaylord.

Ranta went 5.2 innings for the Bruins, scattering seven hits while allowing three runs with two strikeouts and a walk.  Tim Stuvland (2-0), the third of four Warrior hurlers, got the win, with Stephen Foster picking up his third save with two innings of one-hit relief.

Woo led the Bruins with three of their 11 hits in the game, while Rapacz and Gantenbein had two each.  Gaylord had three hits for the Warriors, driving in three and scoring two, and Bridges and Tajiri had two hits apiece out of LCSC’s total of 11.

George Fox ends the year with a 23-16 record, the Bruins’ 15th straight winning season and 22nd in the last 23 years.  However, their five-game losing streak to close the campaign is their longest skid since dropping the first six games of the 2001 season.  Lewis-Clark State, now 45-3 overall and riding a 14-game winning streak, visits Seattle University Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. for their final two regular season games before the NAIA National Tournament.