By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Layton Wagner (Sr., RHP/INF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) pitched the first seven innings, while Jeff Hoffman (Jr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) and Jonny Suchor (Sr., LF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) each hit a home run, leading Willamette University to a 7-3 victory over Pacific Lutheran University in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 11. In the second game, the Lutes defeated the Bearcats, 5-1.

The Northwest Conference doubleheader was played at Willamette's John Lewis Field. The Bearcats concluded the day with a 10-4 overall record, 6-1 in the NWC. Pacific Lutheran moved to 7-9 on the season, 2-6 in the NWC. The teams will complete the three-game series on Sunday, March 12 with one game starting at 12 p.m. (PDT).

Wagner improved to 2-1 on the season with the pitching victory in the opener. Hoffman belted his sixth homer and his third double of the season. Suchor recorded his first career home run for the Bearcats and led WU with three hits in the first game. During the second game, PLU starting pitcher Spencer Howell went eight innings and allowed nine hits, but gave up just one run.

Bearcats Win 7-3 as Wagner Strikes Out 11 Batters

Wagner struck out seven Lutes and allowed no walks while pitching the first seven innings in the first game. He gave up just four runs and three hits, helping Willamette maintain the lead after the Bearcats broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the bottom of the third. Logan Haslam (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) closed out the game by pitching the final two innings and limiting PLU to no runs and one hit. Haslam registered one strikeout.

Suchor was 3 of 4 at the plate with a homer, two runs scored, and one RBI. Hoffman finished 2 for 3 with a double, a two-run homer, two runs, and three RBIs. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Sr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) went 2 of 5 with a double and a run scored. Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) was 2 of 4 with a double and an RBI. Drew Baskin also hit a double for the Bearcats. For the Lutes, Andy Schmitz was 2 for 4 with a home run.

Willamette took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Werkmeister-Martin pounded a leadoff double to right field and advanced to third on a fielding error by the shortstop. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Hoffman. The Lutes tied the score in the top of the third, as Rutger Youch singled, stole second with one out, and reached home plate on a double by Aaron Barber with two outs. Hoffman's two-run homer to center field with Ethan Dunnam (Sr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) on base, put WU in front 3-1 in the bottom of the third.

PLU earned one run in the top of the fourth and scored once in the top of the sixth. Each time, Willamette answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to take leads of 4-2 and 5-3. Cole Trotignon hit a solo homer for the Lutes in the fourth inning, and Suchor blasted a leadoff homer for Willamette in the next half-inning. In the sixth, Andy Schmitz belted a solo homer for PLU. Suchor responded by hitting a leadoff single and later scoring on a base hit by Granucci.

The Bearcats plated two insurance runs in the seventh inning. Hoffman doubled down the left field line to start the frame. Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) provided a sacrifice bunt to send Hoffman to third. Ethan Fischel (Grad., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) drove in Hoffman with a single down the right field line. Fischel advanced to second on the throw and reached third when Suchor grounded out. Fischel crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

WU Outhits PLU 11-5 in Game 2, but Lutes Win 5-1

In the second game, Willamette achieved an 11-5 margin in base hits, but the Lutes outscored the Bearcats, 5-1, to split the doubleheader. Fischel and Joshua Murphy (Jr., C, Everett, WA/Cascade HS/Olympic College) each hit a double for the Bearcats, while Ashton Barton registered a double for PLU.

Neither team scored in the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, the Pacific Lutheran grabbed a 1-0 lead. With one out, Schmitz reached first and second on a throwing error from second base. Trotignon reached first base on an error as Schmitz moved to third. Barton drove home Schmitz with a single to left field. In the bottom of the fourth, Fischel hit a double with one out, but was left at third when the inning ended.

The Lutes added two runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth for a 5-0 lead. Schmitz drove in both runs in the fifth with a single through the left side. Trotignon walked to open the sixth inning, went to third on a double by Barton, and scored on a groundout by Ethan Keintz. Barton eventually scored on a single by Braeden Lunburg.

Willamette pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Suchor connected for an infield single to second base. With two outs, pinch-hitter Nick Arnett (Fy., INF, Placerville, CA/Ponderosa HS) singled to left field, allowing Suchor to score. Lawson hit a single for WU in the eighth inning. In the ninth, Baskin hit a leadoff single and Jackson Garrett (Jr., UT, Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad HS/Palomar College) singled with one out, but a double play ended the game.

Lawson, Garrett, and Murphy all finished 2 of 4 for Willamette in the second game. Barton was 2 of 4 with a run and an RBI for Pacific Lutheran. Howell upped his pitching record to 3-1 for PLU, as he struck out 10 batters and had no walks. WU starter EJ McGrew (Fy., LHP, Oakland, CA/St. Mary's College Prep) pitched 5 1/3 innings and fell to 1-2 with the loss.