By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
TACOMA, Wash. -- Ethan Fischel (Grad., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) of Willamette University connected for a double and a home run, but the Bearcats managed only three other hits, as the University of Puget Sound won 4-2 in the final game of a Northwest Conference baseball series on Sunday, March 19. Fischel was 2 for 3 and walked once during the game. He also provided three assists on defense.
For the second consecutive game between the Bearcats and the Loggers, the pitchers controlled most of the contest. In the second game on Saturday, Puget Sound won 3-1 with three runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit. On Sunday, the Loggers tallied three runs in the second inning and maintained the lead. Willamette cut the margin to 3-1 before PS added a run in the bottom of the eighth. Fischel's homer was a solo shot in the ninth inning. The two games featured no scoring in 28 of 34 half-innings played.
With Sunday's win, the Loggers improved to 14-7 overall, 8-6 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 11-7 on the season, 7-5 in the NWC.
In the bottom of the second inning, Gio Parascondola singled with one out for Puget Sound. He went to second on a single to left field by William Gross. Both runners advanced on a passed ball, and then Parascondola crossed the plate when Cody Hirano hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Drew Kamihara and Makana Murashige each hit an RBI single later in the inning, as the Loggers grabbed a 3-0 lead.
Fischel hit a double with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, but a popup ended the threat. WU scored its first run in the top of the fifth. Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) supplied a single to left to begin the inning. He went to second on a grounder by Jonny Suchor (Sr., OF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) and reached third on a single to right by Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Sr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS). Granucci scored on a sacrifice fly by Clint Walker (Sr., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS).
PS tacked on its fourth run in the eighth inning. With one out, Hirano walked and Kamihara singled into center field. Dylan Joyce added another single, allowing Hirano to score while Kamihara advanced to second. Kamihara was thrown out at third when Murashige hit into a fielder's choice. The third out was recorded when WU relief pitcher Brady Joyner (Jr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) struck out Sean Murphy.
Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) flied out to deep left field to start the top of the ninth. Fischel batted next and smacked a home run over the left field fence. Jeff Hoffman (Jr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) walked, but Granucci grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, as the Loggers recorded the final two outs of the game.
In addition to Fischel's 2-for-3 performance, Granucci was 2 for 4 with a run scored for the Bearcats. The Loggers earned 11 hits, with Joyce going 2 for 3 and Kamihara and Grosse both finishing 2 of 4. Gabe Huante recorded Puget Sound's only extra-base hit, a double in the third inning.
Puget Sound starter Henry Baker moved to 2-1 with the win. He pitched five innings and allowed three hits and one run. The Loggers used three more pitchers to secure the win. Joe Schwab, who tossed the final two innings, received his second save. WU starter Steven Verespey (Fy., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) fell to 0-2 with the loss.
Willamette will host Linfield University in a non-conference game on Wednesday, March 22. Game time at John Lewis Field in Salem, Oregon, is set for 3 p.m. (PDT).
