Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SALEM, Ore. – Hammering
out 18 hits in the first game and getting strong efforts from three
pitchers in the second game, the visiting George Fox University
Bruins swept a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader from the
Willamette University Bearcats 14-6 and 5-4 Saturday afternoon here
at John Lewis Field.
Game 1 - George Fox 14, at Willamette 6
George Fox took advantage of two Willamette errors to score five
unearned runs in the 2nd and never trailed. Derek Dixon
reached on an error and third and was safe when pitcher Brandon
Simon (2-2) threw high to second on Timothy Williams'
bunt. Nick Benish drove in Dixon with a single, and Jared
Chase drove in Williams on a squeeze bunt. David Greenstein,
Taylor Hunter and Josh Rapacz added RBI singles to
complete the outburst.
Willamette got its first run in the 3rd as Dylan Summers and
Tyson Giza singled, and Summers scored on a groundout by Mitch
Rowan. An RBI single by Hunter increased the Bruins'
lead to 6-1 in the top of the 4th,but in the bottom of the inning,
Semlacher singled, stole second base and scored on a single by
Hunter Gallant.
The Bruins tallied two runs in the 6th on a sacrifice flies by
Rapacz and Danny Clifford, and Benish belted a solo homer in the
7th to give George Fox a 9-2 advantage. Both teams added to
their scores in the final two frames, the Bruins scoring four runs
in the 8th and one in the 9th, while the Bearcats scored twice in
each inning.
Bruin starter Brian Ranta (2-1) threw 7.0 innings, allowing six
hits and two runs with three strikeouts and four walks.
Greenstein and Hunter each went 3-4 and scored twice for the
Bruins. Hunter also had two RBIs, while Greenstein drove in one.
Benish finished 3-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Semlacher was 3-4 for the Bearcats in the opener and scored two
runs, while Gallant went 2-4 with two RBIs.
Game 2 - George Fox 5, at Willamette 4
George Fox built a 3-0 lead in the first three innings of the
second game and held on with some fine pitching. Greenstein singled
in the 1st and eventually scored on a single by Clifford. In the
3rd, Rapacz hit a two-out single and Clifford followed with a
two-run homer to left field. The Bearcats got one back in the
3rd when Giza doubled to right and advanced to home on two ground
outs.
The Bruins upped their advantage to 4-1 when Rapacz drove in
Greenstein with a single in the 5th In the bottom of the
inning, Giza areached first with two outs when a fly ball veered
into fair territory and was dropped by Clifford at third. Giza
stole second and Summers launched a homer to right-center, pulling
the Bearcats within 4-3.
George Fox added an important insurance run in the 8th.
With two outs, Clifford singled to left and went to second on
a wild pitch before Dixon singled him home.
Rolenn Himuro doubled down the left field line with one out in
the bottom of the 8th and scored on a double by Sky Kelley as the
Bearcats cut the lead to 5-4, but reliever Alex Keenan faced just
three batters in the 9th to earn his second for the Bruins.
Bruin starter Taylor Dunn improved to 3-1, allowing only two
hits and one earned run in five innings with five strike outs and
three walks. Clay Gartner worked three frames, allowing two
hits and a run with two strikeouts and two walks, before Keenan
finished up. Willamette starter T.J. Whidby went 6.2 innings
with four strikeouts and no walks but fell to 0-2.
Clifford went 3-4 with a home run, scoring twice and driving in
three runs, Greenstein was 2-4 and scored twice, and Williams went
2-4 with a double. Willamette had just four hits, all for
extra bases - the homer by Summers and doubles by Himuro, Kelly and
Giza.
Willamette (4-14, NWC 2-6) and George Fox (9-11, NWC 5-3) will
conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at
1:00 p.m.