By: Jake Bienvenue

NEWBERG --- The George Fox baseball team hosted the Whitman Blues in a Saturday conference doubleheader, losing game one 9-8 and game two, 12-8. 

Recap:

Game One:

The Blues scored in the top of the first, but the Bruins responded right back with a run in the bottom of the same inning.

AJ Valencia got it going with a single to left center field and then stole second base. Sam Swenson stepped up to the plate and hit a double to left field, advancing Valencia home to tie the score at one apiece.

Whitman scratched across four runs in the top of the third to jump ahead, setting the score at 5-1.

The Bruins chipped into the lead in the bottom of the third as Valencia scored his second run of the day on a sac fly from Kyler Brudwick, 5-2.

Whitman scored another three runs in the top of the fifth widen the gap.

George Fox scratched a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut into the deficit. Austin Baek hit a single to center field, advancing CJ Ibara to third base. After stealing second, Baek advanced to third base on a wild pitch and Ibara reached home plate for the score. Dillon Blankenship stepped up to the plate and popped up a sac fly RBI, allowing Baek to score and cut the lead to just four, 8-4.

After the Blues managed another run in the top of the seventh, the Bruins came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to keep the game competitive. Brudwick started it off with a single up the middle, then advancing to second on a throwing error by the pitcher. Baek stepped up and singled to the shortstop, allowing Brudwick to reach home. The Bruins loaded the bases, and then Turner Glenn hit a two-RBI single to center field, advancing Baek and Matt Voelzke. The huge inning brought the Bruins within spitting distance of the win, 9-7.

George Fox struck again in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to just one heading into the final inning. Valencia reached home for his third run of the day on another sac fly RBI from Brudwick.

The Bruins had the opportunity to win or tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, but were unable to score as Whitman took a close game one, 9-8.

Game Two:

Whitman struck first in game two, scratching across a pair of runs in the top of the first to take an early lead.

The Bruins responded with two runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Jerred Seamons started it off with a single up the middle, followed by a double to left center from Valencia to put runners on second and third. Swenson popped up a sac fly RBI to send home Seamons, and then Brudwick followed suit with a sac fly to advance Valencia.

George Fox kept it up in the bottom of the fifth as Swenson hit a single to send home Voelzke. The Bruins took a narrow lead, 3-2.

The Blues responded with a run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to take the lead, 6-3.

The Bruins exploded for five runs in the bottom of the seventh, storming back to take the lead, 8-6. Swenson singled up the middle for the RBI, sending home Seamons. Brudwick stepped up to the plate next and hit a sac fly, allowing Valencia to score. A fielding error by the Blues led to Swenson and Marc Audet reaching home. Derek Johnson capped off the huge inning, reaching home on another fielding error by Whitman to set the score at 8-6.

The game picked back up on Sunday, but the wait wasn't kind to the Bruins. The Blues were able to record six runs in the top of the ninth to steal the game from the Bruins. 

Whitman ended the second game with a 12-8 win. 

Top Performers:

Game One:

Glenn and Brudwick each tallied a pair of RBI to contribute to the scoring effort, while Valencia led the team in runs with three. Baek came up big as well, going 3-5 at the plate for one RBI and two runs.

Game Two:

Swenson went 3-4 at the plate with three RBIs. Jerred Seamons and Kyler Brudwick were the other Bruins to record multiple hits. 

What It Means:

The Bruins are 14-8 on the season and 8-6 in the Northwest Conference.

What Comes Next:

The Bruins will pick back up the second game at 11 am and the finish the final game once game two is concluded.