NEWBERG, Ore. -- Midway through the sixth inning, the George Fox baseball team found themselves down by seven runs with their conference playoff hopes in the balance. The Bruins then rattled off nine runs in two innings to complete the biggest comeback since 2012, eventually defeating the Whitman Blues, 12-8.
How It Happened
After splitting their double-header with the Blues yesterday, the Bruins came into today's game with a chance to take the series. The game started slow for Fox, with Whitman getting two runs in the first with an RBI single. A three-run bomb for the Blues in the second put Fox down five, and two more runs by the Blues in the fourth and fifth had GFU down seven.
With their backs against the wall, the Bruins got to work; after two walks,
Carson Coulter ripped a single to score the first run of the day for Fox.
Jonathan Stone singled through the left side to score another, and
Spencer Roos hit an RBI as well to lower the deficit to 7-3 at the end of the sixth.
Whitman scored another run to put themselves up, 8-3, before Fox went on a tear in the bottom of the seventh. After loading the bases, Stone walked to score a run followed by a Roos fielder's choice RBI.
Jared Gee ripped a double two batters later, scoring three runs and giving Fox a 9-8 lead.
After Fox took the lead they never looked back, adding three more runs in an eighth inning that featured a
Brandon King RBI double. Fox closed the game out in the top of the ninth, with
Alex Abbott stranding three Whitman runners in the 12-8 win — the largest comeback since Fox rallied from seven down against Linfield in April 2012, a game they won 8-7.
Top Performances
Jonathan Stone went 2-3 with two RBIs, and
Brandon King joined him as the other Bruin in the lineup to have multiple hits as he went 2-4 with an RBI.
Jared Gee had the biggest swing of the day, hitting a go-ahead three-run double as his only hit.
Austin Hallman,
Ryan Watilo,
Alex Abbott, and
Travis Miller all saw time at the mound on senior day, with Watilo picking up the win, and Hallman pumping up the crowd with a huge performance in the eighth inning.
What It Means
The Bruins still don't control their own destiny when it comes to making the conference playoffs, but the win today helped their case greatly. Fox improved to 15-18 (9-12 NWC). To make the playoffs, they will need to win all three games of their next series and get some help from other teams in the conference. Whitman slides to 17-15 (9-11 NWC).
What Comes Next
The Bruins' last series of the season will take place in Portland, playing Lewis & Clark in a three-game series starting Saturday, April 15. The first pitch of game one is at noon.
