By: Ryan Lackey

NEWBERG, Ore. --- A dominating start from Ian Buckles saw the Bruins through to a 3-1 victory on Friday afternoon over Puget Sound. Before being relieved with one out in the ninth, Buckles threw eight-and-a-third, touched for just six hits and a single run. Buckles struck out 11. Reliever Michael Hirko entered in the ninth and recorded the save.

The Bruins started early, thanks to designated hitter Jake Thran. With the bases loaded, Thran hit a towering sacrifice fly to right that gave AJ Valencia ample time to dash home with the Bruins' first run.

In the second, it was Ansel Webster with the clutch hit. With two outs and Rapacz on second after swiping the bag, Webster poked a ground ball through the right side to extend the Bruins' lead to 2-0. Puget Sound scratched out their first base hit – a single – in the fourth.

In the seventh, with runners on the corners, Rapacz's fielder's choice let Kadyn Nannini score the game's final run.

Puget Sound's Layne Croney capitalized on Buckles' sole mistake of the day, leading off the eighth with a home run, as he jumped on a misplaced delivery.

AJ Valencia had the Bruins' sole multi-hit game, going 2-4 with a run. Webster finished 1-2 with an RBI, and Rapacz had a run and an RBI as part of his 1-4 day.

The win evens the Bruins' conference record at 8-8; they stand at 13-16 overall.

They will embark on a double-header tomorrow afternoon, as the weather limited both teams to just one game.