By: Ryan Lackey

FOREST GROVE, Ore. --- George Fox University's baseball team opened up conference play Saturday afternoon, as the Bruins swept the double-header against Pacific University (5-1, 12-1).

Game 1

The Bruins broke a long-deadlocked game with five runs in the final three innings on Saturday afternoon, taking the first game of a doubleheader from the Pacific University Boxers, 5-1. Starting pitcher Ian Buckles was the man of the day, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth, throwing a complete game, scattering one run and six hits, and recording three strikeouts.

The Bruins were the first to threaten in the fifth, when catcher Tyler Hamilton rapped a two-out single and Gabe Louthan dropped a perfect bunt single to move Hamilton into scoring position. Brandon Wileman lined a single to right field, but Hamilton was just a step slow and was gunned down by right fielder Walker Olis.

In the seventh, the Bruins finally broke the string of zeroes lining the scoreboard. Designated hitter Jake Thran walked, and Eli Skiles came in to pinch-run. Riley McKean laid down a perfect sacrifice to move Skiles to second, and left fielder Tanner Mansell dropped Kadyn Nannini's fly, placing runners on first and third. Hamilton drove in Skiles with a single to right, putting the score at 1-0, and Nannini subsequently scored on Louthan's RBI groundout.

Trailing 2-0, Pacific got one back in their half of the seventh, as Mansell singled, stole second, and came around to score on Olis' single. The Bruins responded in the eighth: a walk to Clay Mott and a single by Zach Rapacz misplayed by Pacific put runners on second and third for Jacob Woehler, who drove in Mott with a single to right. Rapacz would score soon after, as an errant pickoff throw allowed him to waltz home to make the score 4-1.

The Bruins added another insurance run in the ninth with some small ball. Hamilton singled, went to third on two consecutive groundouts, and scored on a wild pitch to secure the final score, 5-1.

Tyler Hamilton went 3-4 for the Bruins with an RBI and a run scored. Zach Rapacz went 2-4 and a run.

Walker Olis was the only Boxer with multiple hits, going 2-4.

Game 2 

The Bruins capitalized on their solid 5-1 victory earlier in the day by sweeping their doubleheader with the Pacific University Boxers, winning the second game 12-1 on the back of a tremendous nine-run fifth inning and a 3-5, four-RBI game from right fielder Zach Rapacz. At game's end, the Bruins had hung 14 hits on the Boxers, while Bruins starter Sean Eberhardt threw six solid innings of one-run ball, fanning nine.

With two outs in the first, the Bruins opened the scoring with a two-out rally: Rapacz reached second on an error and scored on Ansel Webster's frozen rope to center. In the third, the Bruins added another and Rapacz tallied the first of his four RBIs, launching a towering homer beyond the left field fence.

The wheels finally came off for the Boxers in the fifth. Gabe Louthan lead off the inning by smashing a liner that third baseman Taren Bradd snagged for the first out, but Brandon Wileman singled to right and Clay Mott slashed a double down the left field line to put two runners on for Rapacz. He did not disappoint, singling to center to score Wileman and Mott and render the score 4-0. Ansel Webster promptly singled in Rapacz. Boxers' starter Colin McCusker appeared to catch a breath when Riley McKean bounced a grounder to third, but Bradd booted it, putting two runners on with only one out. McCusker responded to whiff Mason Dunning, but Jake Thran walked to load the bases with two outs. With the chance to put the game out of reach, batter Kadyn Nannini seized the opportunity, blasting a deep double to left to score all three runners.

With the score at 7-0, Dylan Miller relieved McCusker and immediately plunked Louthan, who had led off the inning. Pinch hitter AJ Valencia singled, scoring Nannini and moving Louthan to third, who scored on the next play, as Mott singled to left. Batting for the second time in the inning, Rapacz snagged another RBI, dropping a single into left to score Valencia and extend the score to 11-0. Cole Kanazawa relieved Miller and induced a groundout from Webster to finally end the half-inning.

The Boxers, dismayed, managed just a single run in the sixth, as Tanner Mansell reached on an error and scored on Walker Olis' double for an unearned run.

The Bruins added an unnecessary insurance run in the eighth, when Zachery Muenster singled in Nlake Christopher to make the game's final score, 12-1.

Offensively, the Bruins had a banner day. Besides standout Rapacz, Clay Mott went 3-6 with an RBI and a run. Ansel Webster went 2-5 with a pair of RBIs, and Nannini made the most of his 1-4 day, driving in three runs.

The Bruins boost to 4-5 on the year with the doubleheader sweep, beginning their conference play with a stellar 2-0 start. They will look to continue their streak Sunday afternoon, again against Pacific in the last of a three-game set.