By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) belted an inside-the-park home run in the second game of a Northwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 8, but Lewis & Clark College won both contests, 9-1 and 5-1 at John Lewis Field. Even so, other results on Friday and Saturday led to Willamette clinching one of four berths into the 2023 NWC Tournament, set for April 21-23 at the site of the regular season champion.

Willamette ended the three-game series with a 19-9 record, including 14-7 in the NWC. The Bearcats are second in the NWC standings behind Pacific University, which has clinched first place at 18-5. Lewis & Clark is 22-11 overall and holds third place in the NWC with an 11-9 record. L&C is battling at least three other teams for the final two tournament spots.

In the first game, L&C broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the sixth, then pulled away with five runs in the ninth. In the second game, L&C pitcher Luke Ritter moved to 4-0 by holding the Bearcats to one run in eight innings, as he earned seven strikeouts.

Lawson was 2 of 4 for WU in both games while compiling a 4-for-8 day along with his inside-the-park homer near the left field line.

Pioneers Pull Away Late in First Game

A solo home run by Jack Thomson of Lewis & Clark with one out in the first inning produced the only run in the opening 4 1/2 innings of the first game. Thomson hit the homer over the fence in right center. As the game entered the bottom of the fifth, the Pioneers had three hits, including Thomson's homer, while Willamette had two hits.

In Willamette's half of the fifth inning, Drew Baskin (So., 2B, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS) received a leadoff walk. He advanced to second on a wild pickoff attempt by L&C pitcher Brett Pierson. Baskin reached third on a groundout by Layton Wagner (Sr., RHP/INF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS). Ethan Dunnam (Sr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) drove Baskin across the plate with a sacrifice squeeze bunt, as WU tied the score at 1-1.

Brennen Davis of Lewis & Clark batted first in the sixth inning and hit a solo homer to left center. Later in the inning, Jakob Ghammachi tacked on a two-run homer to left, giving the Pioneers a 4-1 edge. The three-run margin held until the ninth inning, when L&C scored five runs on four hits. Dylan Moore brought in four of the runs with a grand slam.

Lawson's 2-for-4 performance led Willamette. Ghammachi was 3 of 5 for L&C with two homers and three RBIs. Moore was 2 for 5. Pierson tossed 7 2/3 innings for L&C and improved to 4-4. Anthony Clerici claimed his fifth save over the final 1 1/3 innings. Steven Verespey (Fy., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) of WU struck out six batters, while dropping to 2-3.

Hoffman Registers Three Hits in Second Game

Willamette third baseman Jeff Hoffman (Jr., Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) went 3 for 4 at the plate for the Bearcats in the second game. Lawson was 2 for 4 with his inside-the-park home run. Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) also went 2 of 4.  The Bearcats gained a 9-8 edge in hits during the second contest, but L&C won 5-1. For the Pioneers, Moore finished 3 of 4 with a single, a double, and a homer.

The Pioneers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Luke Bass doubled and eventually scored on a single by Ghammachi. Will Heron, who was hit by a pitch after Bass's double, later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Joaquin Sandoval. L&C's lead reached 3-0 on a leadoff homer by Moore in the fourth inning.

Lawson's homer was earned with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. He hit a line drive near the left field line. Ghammachi, the left fielder, headed toward the ball to hold Lawson to a double. Ghammachi fell and stayed on the ground near the ball. Lawson rounded all four bases, as WU cut the margin to 3-1. Ghammachi was able to remain in the game.

Lewis & Clark tacked on one run in the seventh and one run in eighth to complete the scoring. Willamette had two hits in the sixth inning, but a double play ended the threat. The Bearcats also hit into a double play with one runner on base in the eighth inning.