NEWBERG, Ore. --- Though they started the game with an early lead, the George Fox baseball team was not able to survive a three-inning drought in their 3-5 loss to the visiting Linfield WIldcats on Tuesday at Morse Athletic Field.
How It Happened
The Bruins started out hot, scoring in the first inning thanks to a Noah Meffert RBI single to give Fox the 1-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the bats would go cold following that single. The Bruins would only register one baserunner over the next three innings as Linfield scored four runs as Fox registered three errors over that time.
Down 4-1, the Bruins showed signs of life in the fifth as they clawed back into the game. Shane McClendon and Jayce Lien opened up the inning with back-to-back hits, with McClendon racing home on a wild pitch only one at-bat later. Lien himself would also score on a wild pitch to inch closer. Though a double play ruined any other Bruin scoring chances, an excellent fifth inning left the Bruins trailing by only one run entering the sixth.
After a scoreless sixth, Linfield tacked on a security run in the seventh to go up 5-3. While Breyndon Nakamura managed to get into scoring position in the eighth inning, the junior was not able to score. A quick ninth inning that only saw Meffert get on base, the Bruins left Morse with a 3-5 loss.
Top Performances
Shane White led the Bruins with two hits on the day, while also scoring a run. Meffert was the only player to pick up an RBI, as the other two runs came courtesy of wild pitches. Gordon Wend, who started at pitcher on Tuesday, tallied four strikeouts in his three innings pitched. Finally, Nakamura wowed the crowd with a highlight-reel catch in the ninth inning, diving for a ball in center field to keep the game close.
What It Means
Fox's record fell to 15-14 overall this season with an 8-7 conference mark. With their win, the Wildcats pulled even to the Bruins with an 8-7 NWC record, while sitting at 12-12 on the season.
Up Next
The Bruins return to Morse Athletic Field for a three-game series against the Whitman Blues. This weekend's first pitch is scheduled for Saturday, April 2 at noon.
