NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox baseball team started off their non-conference series against No. 10 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a thrilling, neck-and-neck 5-4 win to give them an early advantage as they head into the weekend. 

How It Happened
The first was a highly defensive inning for both teams as each tried to find any gaps in the field. For George Fox, pitcher Taylor Franklin made it hard for the Stags, who entered as one of the top offenses in the nation, to get their bats going. GFU's defense continued to create a wall in the second that CMS couldn't get past; after a one-two-three inning, the Bruins were ready to break their offensive cold streak — especially BJ Tokushima. 

With a driving swing on a 3-1 pitch, Tokushima sent the ball over the left field wall for a moonshot that put Fox on the board, 1-0. While CMS was able to answer back in the third, George Fox wasn't ready to give up their lead without a fight. Franklin and the Bruins were able to get out of the inning after only allowing one run despite two CMS runners in scoring position. 

Building off the energy in the top of the third, Garrett Strube started off things in the bottom of the third with good discipline at the plate that awarded him a walk; it didn't take long before he was sliding safely into second off of a Stag wild pitch to put Strube in scoring position. All it took was a hard-hit shot down the right field line from Brennan Bates to send Strube home and regain Fox's lead, 2-1. The game began to change in the fourth as CMS showed they were a worthy opponent. After only a few base hits to make them a close 3-2, the Stags took their first upper hand of the game. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' bats later became cold over the next couple of innings and they couldn't replicate their offense — especially with Grant Baskin now on the mound for GFU.

While CMS couldn't deliver on the offensive end, Fox was able to begin their own rally in the sixth. Once again, Tokushima continued to be a force at the plate for George Fox and started the inning off with a far hit double to the left side; thanks to a well-placed Dylon Poulin bunt, Tokushima was quickly at third. When Gavin Price came up to bat, he made sure to cause chaos in the field. While he grounded out, his hard hit was enough to not only score Tokushima, but advance Poulin to second. 

Poulin continued to show off his speed on the base path and made it to third off of a wild pitch before a sac fly from Gabe DeBenedetto helped Poulin cross home plate with ease. After a full inning of strategic play from George Fox, they took back their lead and made the score 4-3. 

With the end of the game getting closer and closer, the pressure was on as both teams fought to regain control on the offensive end. CMS continued to make things difficult for GFU, and with a solo homer, the game became tied in the top of the seventh. By the time the bottom of the seventh rolled around, Fox remained resilient. This time around, Adam Fulton started things off with a hard hit single off of a 2-2 pitch, but was able to sneak in a steal after a failed CMS pick-off attempt. At a crucial point of the game, Strube was unfazed and proved again that he was a reliable hitter for the Bruins; after squaring the ball for a line drive to center field, his hit was far enough to bring around Fulton to score, 5-4. 

Just like how the game started, the end was defense focused. With Spencer Simon now on the rubber for George Fox, it was a quick top of the eighth. GFU was unable to secure any insurance runs in the eighth, so it all came down to the ninth. Things got dicey really quick as CMS managed to find holes for more base hits that eventually put a runner on third with only one out down. 

Despite the pressure, closer Andrew Miller — who entered the game after being named to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week — and Fox's defense maintained their dominance on the field. After a strategic Stag bunt, a pickle between home plate and third began; with everybody on the edges of their seats, the Bruins were able to get the game-saving out. With a final strikeout from Miller, the back-and-foth battle concluded with a George Fox triumphant 5-4. 

Top Performances
As a team, the Bruins had a total of eight hits with three players recording two apiece: BJ Tokushima, Brennan Bates, and Garrett Strube. The team also had a total of five RBIs along with five walks. While GFU's offense put on a great performance, their defense was what really shined this game. Joey Wilcox was awarded his first-ever win to make his record 1-0, while Andrew Miller was granted the save, his sixth one. Over the course of the game, the pitchers also had a total of nine strikeouts with Grant Baskin leading the way with four in the three innings he played. 

Top Performances
"'I'm extremely proud of the effort on the mound, and we did enough to scratch in a few runs to beat a really good ball club," Bruin head coach Kevin Kopple said, "I'm so proud of the team's gritty effort today."

What It Means
George Fox rises to 11-19 (8-10 NWC), while No. 10 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps falls to 22-9. 

What Happens Next
The Bruins will stay on their home field to continue their series against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a double header on Saturday, April 18. The first game is scheduled to begin at 12:00 pm and the second will be at 3:00 pm.