By: Alex Plusquellec

NEWBERG, Ore. --- The George Fox baseball team opened Northwest Conference play with a bang Saturday, scoring 27 runs on 20 hits in a game one win over Lewis and Clark. The Bruins currently lead game two of the doubleheader 11-7, but play was suspended due to darkness in the top of the sixth inning.

Recap:

Game One:

Cameron Jack made quick work of the top of the Pioneers' lineup to begin the game and was greeted with great run support in the bottom half of the first. Jerred Seamons got the Bruins started with a leadoff single up the middle, but was thrown out at second after Jantzen Tamanaha grounded into a fielder's choice.

A wild pitch moved Tamanaha to second, and he was brought home after Sam Swenson doubled down the left field line. Successive wild pitches helped Swenson make his way home to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.

Back-to-back walks put Kyler Brudwick and Dillon Blankenship on base for the Bruins, making way for the bat of Houston Thom. The senior's first home run of the season gave the Bruins a 5-0 lead with just one out in the inning.

Matt Voelzke reached base on a walk after Thom's homer. Austin Baek reached on an error, setting up an opportunity for AJ Valencia. Valencia's double brought home Voelzke as the Bruins tacked on another.

With two outs and having batted around, Swenson stepped to the plate and singled through the left side to drive in two more. Brudwick found a pitch to hit in his second at-bat of the inning, bringing home the ninth run of the inning for the Bruins.

Trailing 9-0 after one inning of play, the Pioneers made a dent in Bruins' lead scoring three runs on two hits.

The Bruins were back at it in the third inning, scoring six more runs on four hits. Thom added to his big day with a two-RBI double and Baek brought in two more with a single of his own. Valencia's second hit of the day scored Voelzke, and the Bruins took a 15-3 lead after three innings.

Lewis and Clark continued to battle at the plate and its work paid off as they scored four runs in the fourth and two in the sixth. The Bruin lead was never in jeopardy; Seamons and Valencia each scored in the sixth to push the lead to 17-9.

The Bruins' bats stayed hot into the eighth when a 19-9 lead ballooned to 27-9, highlighted by RBI's from Valencia and Seamons. Derek Johnson, Tristan Guillen and Marc Audet each pinch hit and drove in runs.

In the last 10 seasons, the most runs by the Bruins came in 2009 when they scored 24 against Pacific Lutheran in the Northwest Conference Championship game. The 27 runs scored today marks the most by the Bruins in recent memory.

Game Two:

Seamons' base knock to start game two kept the momentum going for the Bruins. Tamanaha's sacrifice bunt was enough to move Seamons to second. Brudwick's two-out single to right center brought home Seamons to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Bruins picked up four more. Kyle Esquerra and Matt Voelzke scored on a fielder's choice and Seamons added another on an error by the Pioneers to give the Bruins a 4-1 lead. With two outs the Bruins weren't done as Swenson's double was enough to score Tamanaha.

After picking up runs in the third and fourth, Lewis and Clark put together a four-run top of the fifth to grab a one-run lead, 7-6. That lead would soon evaporate as pitching woes by the Pioneers allowed the Bruins to score five in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead 11-7.

Game two was suspended due to darkness with the Pioneers due up in the top half of the sixth inning.

Top Performers:

Game One:

The Bruins racked up 20 hits, led in part by big games from Thom and Swenson who combined to drive in nine runs. Seamons' four hits were a team high while 11 different Bruins drove in at least one run. Isaac Olson's five innings of relief work earned him his second win of the season.

What Comes Next:

The Bruins will complete game two beginning at 10:30 on Sunday.