FOREST GROVE, Ore. --- The Bruins' offense gave the Linfield Wildcats a late scare, but early trouble on the mound put the Fox baseball team in an early hole that they couldn't climb out of.

How It Happened

Sean Wiese got the start but was unable to get out of the fourth inning against the Wildcats in an abbreviated start, giving up seven runs - six of them earned - on six hits, two walks, and an error. Ryan Watilo, Jason Simpson, Spencer Johnson, and Ryan Silver finished the last five innings and combined for the other eight runs allowed to the Wildcats - Silver pitched a clean eighth to close the game.

Spencer Roos got things going early with an RBI double in the first and would score himself after Tyler Durant put an RBI groundout in play to plate Roos for a 2-0 lead, but Linfield tied it at 2-2 in the bottom half of the first. Three Wildcat runs in the second gave Linfield a 5-2 lead, and Roos answered with a solo shot to cut the lead in the third. Jeremy Sangalang stole second and Brandon King singled him home for a 5-4 ballgame after two and a half innings, but the 'Cats erupted for ten unanswered runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh frames to put the game out of reach with a 15-4 lead.

Fox finally got going again on offense in the eighth and ninth innings with two- and three-run innings late in the ball game, but it fell short of an extra-innings push. Breyndon Nakamura and Mason Eastman each hit late RBI doubles to help the Bruins' cause and make it interesting but it wasn't enough to steal the game back.

Top Performances

Silver was the only Bruin pitcher to avoid giving up a run and struck out one without allowing a hit or a walk in just 11 pitches of effort on the hill. Nakamura, Sangalang, and Jared Gee each stole a base, and the trio of Roos, Nakamura, and Eastman combined for the Bruins' four extra-base knocks.

What It Means

Fox will face No. 4 seed Pacific Lutheran in an elimination game and must win its way through the loser's bracket without a safety net if it wants to capture the conference tourney crown.

Up Next

The Bruins' matchup with the Lutes is scheduled for a 10:00 AM first pitch on Saturday, Apr. 23. If Fox wins and advances past the Lutes, the Bruins will play again at 4:00 pm against the loser of a 1:00 matchup between Pacific and Linfield.