By Seth Preuss

NEWBERG --- The George Fox baseball team opened its final Northwest conference series with a single game against Willamette University on Saturday, April 13. The Bruins put up a good fight but ultimately fell, 8-5, to start the series at home.

Recap

The Bruins gave the ball to Christopher Stone to start the game and got five innings from the right-hander. Stone finished with five runs on 10 hits and was relieved by a combination of Isaac Olson, Liam Kent, and Nate Leid in the final four innings.

The Bruins fell behind, 2-0, after giving up a two-run homer to center field in the first frame. An RBI single by Jason Garcia in the second made it a one-run game for a half inning, but the Bearcats plated another run to make it 3-1 in the third.

George Fox answered with single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings to tie the game at 3-3 after doubles from Matt Ramirez and Matt Voelzke, but the Bearcats pulled away again in the fifth and sixth frames with three unanswered runs.

A single run in the seventh plated by Voezlke put the Bruins back within striking distance, down 6-4, but Willamette plated two more in the top of the eighth to make the lead 8-4. A final tally in the ninth cut the lead to 8-5 after a solo shot from Chase Fetzer, but the Bruins' comeback bid fell well short in the loss.

Top Performers

Fetzer homered and Ramirez doubled twice in the loss to the Bearcats. Kent pitched a scored inning in relief for the Bruins.

What It Means

The Bruins fall to 20-21 overall and are 14-8 against NWC opponents this season with just two conference games left on the 2019 slate.

What Happens Next

The Bruins will try to win a pair against the Bearcats on Sunday, April 14, to close out the season series.