NEWBERG, Ore. — The George Fox baseball team began conference play with a double header against Linfield; the day ended with two Bruin losses with game one ending 11-3 while game two was closer, 10-9. 

How It Happened - Game One
Things got off to a rocky start for the Bruins after Linfield saw the ball for a grand slam to give them an early 4-0 advantage. The 'Cats continued to find gaps in the field sporadically over the next few innings thanks to some well-placed singles and a few home runs. GFU's defense was able to put a stop to their offensive run in the eighth inning after Tyler Clark was brought to the mound to pitch, 11-0. 

It all came down to the bottom of the ninth for George Fox and Dylon Poulin started things off with good discipline at the plate with a walk. Calvin Gully was up next and found his way at first after being hit to put Pulin in scoring position at second. When Matthew Castillo came up to the plate, he made sure to bring some chaos to the field; with a driving swing over the left field wall, Castillo recorded a three run shot to drive in Gully and Bryan Ho. While the Bruins tried to put more on the board, they were unable to produce leading to a Wildcat 11-3 win. 

How It Happened - Game Two 
Once again, Linfield was the first to get on the board after a single brought in two (2-0), but -– unlike the first game — the Bruins were quick to answer back. Lead off hitter Joey Marasco started things off with a single to left field before Garrett Strube saw the ball well for a deep single to right that advanced Marasco into scoring position. All it took was a sac-fly from Evan Balingit to drive in Marasco and help George Fox get one back, 2-1. 

The next inning was a defensive battle; for GFU, Strube got the first defensive action with a diving catch at third while pitcher Aidan Rady cleaned things up on the mound through the top of the second and third. It didn't take long before the Bruin's bats came alive once again. This time around, Declan Corrigan was first at the plate and drew a walk after battling with a 3-2 count. After a Corrigan steal, he was able to score and tie the game thanks to a strong hit to center from Marasco. However, they didn't stop there; Strube put the ball in play to move Marasco into scoring position. Balingit sent him home with a solid hit down the right field line to give George Fox their first advantage of the day, 3-2. 

The fourth inning brought more offensive heat for both teams. While Linfield was able to take the lead back, their advantage was short-lived. Brennan Bates hit a deep dinger to equalize the score and — not long after — Adam Fulton had a double to help put the Bruins' bats in motion. With a strategic sac-bunt from Jayson Au Hoy, Fulton was able to advance to third before a Corrigan sac-fly helped Fulton easily cross the plate, 5-4. 

After a one-two-three defensive top of the fifth with Ho on the mound, George Fox was quick to continue their dominant offense. Despite the two outs already on the board, that didn't stop the Bruins; Balingit was the first on base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second off of a Wildcat wild pitch. All it took was a hit from BJ Tokushima — his first of the day — to right center to send Balingit home on an RBI double. Bates jumped on the wagon and stroked a ball to center which allowed Tokushima to score and widen the gap in the score, 7-4. 

The sixth was another defensive inning for both teams before Linfield scored off of a single in the seventh, but their rally was cut short thanks to a Bruin double play. At the bottom of the seventh, Bates came up to the plate and it was clear he was hungry for more offensive action; with a strong shot over the center field wall, Bates recorded his second home run for the day while also making the score 8-5. 

The eighth inning proved to be a big one for the 'Cats who were able to tie the game and more to make the game a close, 10-8, thanks to a massive five-run swing. GFU was able to hold Linfield at the top of the ninth, but once again, it all came down to the bottom of the ninth, and Strube was sure to make the most of it. All it took was a hefty swing for the ball to be stroked over the right center wall and to put the Bruins one run closer to tying the game. Despite the crucial hit, George Fox was unable to continue their offense and were ultimately defeated by the 'Cats, 10-9. 

Top Performances
For the first game, many players had hits including Evan Balingit who led the way with three, while Garrett Strube and Matthew Castillo had two apiece. Castillo also recorded a home run that also earned him three RBI's. The second game, however, brought more offensive action for the Bruins. Strube — along with Brennan Bates — ended the game with three hits each while Joey Marasco had two. Bates had a great game overall with 3 RBI's — Balingit followed close behind with two — along with two solo home runs. Gavin Price totaled his first hit of his career as well.

On the mound, Luke Bell struck out six while Lucas Plenert struck out seven in game one. Aidan Rady struck out seven in game two, while Bryan Ho had just one earned run in three innings pitched.

What It Means
Linfield rises to 7-2 (2-0 NWC), while the Bruins fall to 2-7 (0-2 NWC) in the early season. 

What Happens Next
The Bruins will stay on their home field to finish their three-game series — currently 0-2 — against Linfield on Sunday, March 1. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm.