FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Missing several chances to cash in at the plate, the George Fox University Bruins stranded nine runners, five in scoring position, in each game and dropped a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader to the Pacific University Boxers, 4-3 and 4-1, Saturday here at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.

The twinbill did not start until 3:00 in the afternoon, four hours later than its original planned start, due to early morning rain showers.

In the first game, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the third inning as Dan Winterstein singled, stole second, and scored on a Sam Stahl single, but it was the only lead they would have all day. 

The Boxers answered with three in the home half, Jared Van Hoon stroking a two-run triple to score Michael Arakaki and Kevin Schwartz and then scoring himself on a Nate Rasmussen sacrifice fly.  Trux French singled, stole second, and scored on Scott Rowland's single in the Pacific fourth to make it 4-1, a run that would prove crucial when the Bruins rallied late in the game. 

In the eighth, Taylor Hunter singled and went third on a single by Stahl, then scored on a Derek Aldrich sacrifice fly, but Stahl was left at third.  In the ninth, Derek Blankenship was hit by a pitch to lead off, Zac Israel reached on an error, and Winterstein was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.  Hunter delivered Blankenship with a sacrifice fly, but Stahl fanned to end the game.

Both starting pitchers went the distance, Rob Dittrick (4-1) getting the win despite allowing 10 hits with six strikeouts and a walk.  The loss went to Brian Ranta (4-1), who scattered seven hits and also had six strikeouts and one walk.

Hunter, Stahl, and Aldrich had two hits apiece for the Bruins, while French was the only Boxer with two hits.

In the nightcap, the Bruins collected six hits, but failed to capitalize on five Pacific errors, scoring a lone run in the eighth when Stahl singled and went to second on a throwing error at short, took third on a fly to right, and scored on an error at home by the catcher on Aldrich's grounder to third.

Pacific got all the runs it would need in the fourth on RBI singles by Rasmussen to score Travis Koon and by Chad Fahey to plate Rasmussen.  The Boxers added two insurance runs in the fifth on a two-run single by Schwartz that scored Arakaki and Koon.

Jason Sawyer (2-2) went seven innings to get the win for the Boxers, allowing all six George Fox hits while fanning three and walking one.  Dustin Christensen came in during the eighth and Dan Wolfe worked a scoreless ninth for his third save.  Clay Gartner (1-2) was the hard-luck loser for the Bruins, going the distance while allowing eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Aldrich had two hits for the Bruins, while Koon and Mike Nagamine collected two hits for the Boxers.

The Bruins and Boxers will conclude their three-game series with a single contest Sunday at 12:00 noon.