NEWBERG, Ore. -- Facing their rival Linfield Wildcats in a nonconference midweek matchup, the George Fox baseball team fell behind early and was unable to keep up with the Wildcats in a 2-8 loss.
How It HappenedÂ
Linfield struck quickly in the first inning, with the first two batters reaching base. Though the Bruins would get the next two batters out, a two-out two-RBI single from Josh Mansur gave the Wildcats an early two-run lead — a lead that would extend to three with a run three innings later.
Fox responded, though, with
Brennan Bates singling and advancing to second base thanks to a
Ryden Yoshikawa sac bunt. Two batters later,
Shayde Koga singled to center field, scoring Bates and keeping the Bruins in the game, 1-3.
The Wildcats would pepper Fox with several runs across the next four innings, expanding their lead to 5-1. The Bruins had several chances to break onto the scoreboard — including loading the bases with two outs in the fifth inning — but couldn't reach home plate.
The final blow for the Bruins came in the top of the ninth; Linfield hit three singles and scored a run before GFU could register an out. Three runs later, the Wildcats had extended their lead to 8-1. Fox refused to go down easy, taking advantage of three walks to load the bases with one out.
Matthew Castillo took advantage of high hop to score
Bryan Ho on an RBI infield single, but the Bruins couldn't get any more runs in, as Fox dropped the game, 1-8.
Top Performers
Bryan Ho led the team with two hits, while
Shayde Koga and
Matthew Castillo each had an RBI. In his second collegiate game,
Luey Campos picked up his first career hit on his first career at-bat, beating out a throw for an infield single. On the mound, AIdan Bernard struck out three of the four batters he faced, not allowing a baserunner.
What It MeansÂ
George Fox slips to 11-23 with their loss, while the Wildcats improve to 21-13. With the midweek game not counting as a conference competition, both teams' NWC records remain the same.
What Comes Next
The Bruins will hit the road one last time in 2025, traveling to Forest Grove for a series against Pacific. The first pitch of the first game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.
