Box Score McMINNVILLE, Ore. – In the second meeting
of the season between the NCAA Division III leader in wins and the
2013 National Pitcher of the Year, it was Linfield College's
Chris Haddeland reversing the previous outcome with a 5-1 win over
George Fox University's Clay Gartner in a
non-conference baseball game Friday afternoon here at Roy Helser
Field.
The Bruins' Gartner, the national leader in wins with a
10-1 record coming in, had bested the Wildcats' Haddeland two
weeks ago 4-1 in a Northwest Conference game in Newberg, handing
the ace of the defending national champions his first loss in
almost two years. It was not to be the second time around,
however.
After matching zeroes for three innings, the Wildcats broke
through against Gartner (10-2) in the 4th. Nick Fisher drew a
lead-off walked and Jake Wylie reached on an infield single that
hit the third-base bag and bounced high into left field.
Fisher reached third on the play, and Wylie advanced to second as
shortstop Zac Israel picked up the ball in the outfield and tried
to make a play at third. Clayton Truex and Kramer Lindell
followed with deep sacrifice flies to right.
The Bruins cut the deficit in half in the top of the 5th.
Kadyn Nannini dropped a one-out single into left,
and after Matt Zeller sacrificed him to second, he scored on Derek
Blankenship's single to center.
The Wildcats responded with two more runs in the home half.
Kenny Johnson walked, was sacrificed to second, and scored on
Cory VanDomelen's single to center, and back-to-back singles
by Wylie and Truex plated VanDomelen. Jo Carroll lined his
second home run of the season to right leading off the 6th to end
the scoring.
Gartner finished with six innings of work, allowing six hits and
five earned runs with three strikeouts and an uncharacteristic four
walks. Ian Buckles and Connor Harris finished up with one
scoreless inning apiece.
Haddeland (10-1) went the distance, scattering five hits with
five strikeouts and a walk and retiring the last seven hitters of
the game. Nannini had two hits for the Bruins and also drew
the only walk. Wylie and Truex had two hits each for the
Wildcats.
NEXT: George Fox (27-12) concludes its regular
season Sunday, hosting Linfield at 3:30 p.m. If rain makes
the Bruins' Morse Field unplayable, the game may move to
Linfield's artificial-turf field … The Bruins'
fourth annual Alumni Game is set for 11:00 a.m. Sunday before the
varsity game, weather permitting … Linfield (33-4) hosts
Lewis-Clark State College Saturday in a doubleheader at 12:00
noon.