By: Ryan Lackey

NEWBERG, Ore. --- Both teams entered the day undefeated in the Northwest Conference, as the Bruins hosted Willamette in a double-header match-up to kick off the three game series, Saturday afternoon.

Game 1

Despite six strong innings from starter Ian Buckles, who only gave up a single earned run, and stringing together seven hits, the Bruins could not match Willamette's offensive prowess on Saturday afternoon, dropping the first game of a doubleheader and their first NWC game all season, 11-1. The game was not as one-sided as the final score indicates – Willamette scored seven in the ninth inning to boost the score.

The Bruins' fielding, not their batting, let them down, with five total errors attributed to the Bruin defense. Willamette opened the scoring after George Fox's second error of the day: Riley McKean booted a ball to load the bases for Willamette's first baseman Tiras Koon, who drove a ball over the left-field fence, hanging three unearned runs on Buckles.

In the fifth, Willamette scored again on another home run, this one hit by Hunter Gallant to lead off the inning. Trailing 4-0, the Bruins scratched one back in their half of the sixth on a fielding miscue by Willamette. Clay Mott and Jacob Woehler reached base with two outs, and shortstop Aaron Fong airmailed his throw on Jake Thran's grounder, allowing Mott to come around and score, reducing the deficit to 4-1.

The score remained at 4-1 until the final inning, when Willamette added seven runs of insurance. Koon began the scoring with an RBI single, and a throwing error by Zach Rapacz let in another. Fong singled in another run to whitewash his earlier error, and Bruins reliever Camden Muller walked in the inning's fourth run. Rolenn Himuro then drove a long double to bring across three more runs and set the final score at 11-1.

Despite the loss, several Bruins came away with good offensive performances. AJ Valencia and Jacob Woehler went 2-4, and Zach Rapacz and Kadyn Nannini both finished 1-3.

The defeat pushes the Bruins back to 5-6 on the year, 3-1 in Northwest Conference play.

Game 2

The Bruins, despite being outhit only 9-6, made five errors en-route to a 6-0 loss at the hands of Willamette on Saturday afternoon, hours after dropping the first game of the doubleheader 11-1. Unlike the previous game, Willamette's scoring was gradual and relentless, and starter Connor Loar turned in an excellent day on the rubber, giving up four hits over seven innings of work.

The Bruins nearly began the scoring in the second inning, but designated hitter Andrew Reichenbach was stranded on third. In the third, the Bruins came close again, this time leaving Clay Mott on third after he crushed a long double with one out. Willamette plated their first run in the third on a Troy Conway double, and the Bearcats added another in the fifth on a soft single to center by shortstop Nate Bush.

In the sixth, the Bruins threatened again with a two-out rally. Ansel Webster wore an inside fastball and pinch-hitter Mason Dunning lashed a single to center, putting two runners on for Reichenbach, who grounded to first to end the inning.

The Bearcats scored two more in the seventh on a line-drive homer by Austin Hagerty that cleared the left field fence. They tallied another two unnecessary insurance runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Brier and a towering sacrifice fly by Hagerty to make the final score 6-0.

Substitute Mason Dunning led the Bruins at the plate, going 2-2 after pinch-hitting in the sixth frame. Reichenbach also earned two hits. Reliever Michael Hirko was strong in his 1.2 innings of relief, scattering just two hits and notching a pair of strikeouts.

The loss drops the Bruins to 5-7 overall and 3-2 in the Northwest Conference. They will look to rebound against Willamette as they finish a three-game set on Sunday afternoon.