By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
TACOMA, Wash. -- Starting pitcher Eric Waldichuk (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/University City HS) threw eight scoreless innings and three Willamette University players blasted a home run, as the Bearcats defeated Pacific Lutheran University in a non-conference baseball game, 8-3, on Saturday, April 30 at PLU Field. Waldichuk allowed just six hits and struck out five batters while allowing no walks. He improved to 4-1 on the season.
The win advanced the Bearcats' record to 18-16 on the season, with Pacific Lutheran dropping to 22-18 overall. Willamette will play two non-conference games on Sunday, May 1 to close out the season, as they take on Pacific University at 11 a.m. (PDT) and then battle the University of Puget Sound at 2 p.m. Both games will be held at Logger Baseball Field on the Puget Sound campus.
Willamette's home runs in Saturday's game against the Lutes were hit by Ethan Fischel (Sr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS), Jeff Hoffman (So., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS), and Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/UT, Boise, ID/Timberline HS). Fischel leads the Bearcats with seven home runs on the season, while Hoffman and Wagner are tied for second with six homers. Willamette holds a 30-13 advantage over its opponents in home runs this season.
"Eric was outstanding ... probably the best outing of his Willamette career," Head Baseball Coach Aaron Swick said. "We had some big swings and manufactured some runs as well. It was a good team victory."
The Bearcats took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With one out, Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Fischel batted next and powered a home run over the left field fence.
Three innings later, Willamette doubled its lead by scoring two more runs. Hoffman began the frame by smacking a solo homer to left center. Samuel Daly (Jr., RF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) doubled to right center and went to third on a single to right by Trey Topping (Fy., C, Valencia, CA/West Ranch HS). Daly was thrown out at home on a squeeze bunt, but Topping later scored on a two-out single to center by Tyler Vandemark (Grad., OF, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS).
Pacific Lutheran had just three hits through the first five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, with WU still leading 4-0, the Lutes hit two singles with two outs. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Waldichuk struck out Tori Doten to end the threat.
Willamette expanded its lead to 8-0 by plating four runs in the seventh. Wagner propelled on a solo homer to left field with one out. Werkmeiser-Martin followed with a triple to left field and Fischel hit an RBI single to third base. Hoffman sent a double down the left field line to drive home Fischel. After Hoffman reached third on a wild pitch, Daly hit into a groundout at shortstop, allowing Hoffman to score.
The Lutes scored all three of their runs in the ninth inning despite three strikeouts by reliever Matt Pisacane (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/San Dieguito HS). Only two of the runs were earned.
Doten was hit by a pitch and Stevan Rodriguez pinch-ran. Sam Richardson singled to right center, sending Rodriguez to third. With one out and runners at second and third, Lukas Delisle hit the ball toward third base. The ball was misplayed, allowing Richardson to reach third, while Rodriguez scored and Delisle went to first. Rowan Amann hit a two-run double to bring in Richardson and Delisle. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.
Fischel was 2 for 5 with a homer, two runs and three RBIs. Hoffman finished 2 of 5 with a double, a homer, two runs and two RBIs. Topping went 2 for 4 with a run scored, and Vandemark was 2 of 4 with an RBI. Werkmeister-Martin's triple in the seventh inning was his first three-bagger of the year, giving Willamette nine triples by nine different players this season. John Graham, Cole Trotignon, and Connor Lemma each registered two hits for Pacific Lutheran.