(BASEBALL) SALEM, ORE. -- Four Willamette University pitchers combined to limit Whitworth College to five hits, as the Bearcats defeated the Pirates, 2-1, in Northwest Conference baseball action on Monday, March 26 at John Lewis Field. With the victory, Willamette improves to 10-11 overall and 4-7 in NWC action. Whitworth falls to 7-14 overall, 5-7 in the NWC.
Willamette scored its two runs in the fourth inning on a pair of infield singles. Grant Yamaguchi (Sr., 1B, Aiea, HI/Mid Pacific Institute) reached first base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by David Tufo (So., 3B, San Bruno, CA/Burlingame HS). Yamaguchi moved to third on a balk, and then scored on Colin Youngs (Jr., OF, Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) infield single. Young later scored on an infield single by Dan Maslanik (So., C, Boulder, CO/Fairview HS).
The Pirates pulled to within a run in the top of the eighth inning after Van Lierman doubled home Scott Ward with two outs. But Willamette pitcher Jarrid Summers (So., RHP, Boise, ID/Boise HS) got Ryne Webb to foul out to first base to escape the jam and preserve the Bearcats' lead.
Young led the Bearcats at the plate, as he got three hits in four at-bats. Both Maslanik and Ryan Peterson (Sr., 2B, Grangeville, ID/Grangeville HS) went 1 for 3 on the day for WU. Yamaguchi was 1 for 2, while Ellis Webster (So., 2B, Carlsbad, CA/San Dieguito HS) doubled for the Bearcats.
For the Pirates, Jon Whiteside went 1 for 2, and Ward was 1 for 3. Chad Flett took the loss, dropping to 0-2 on the year. Flett pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and eight hits. He walked one and struck out four.
Summers, pictured above, got the win for the Bearcats, improving to 3-2 on the season, after pitching the final six innings. Summers gave up just one earned run and four hits. He walked one and struck out six.
Jimmy Meuel (So., RHP, Palo Alto, CA/Palo Alto HS) pitched the first inning for WU before giving way to Scott Martin (Fr., RHP, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), who pitched the second inning. Neither pitcher allowed a hit. Ryan Smith (Jr., RHP, Felton, CA/San Lorenzo Valley HS) pitched the third inning, giving up only a single to Whiteside.
Willamette returns to action this Saturday, March 31, when they travel to Tacoma, Wash. for a NWC doubleheader against the University of Puget Sound. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. (PDT). The two teams will complete their three-game series with a single game at 12 p.m. (PDT) on Sunday, April 1.
Willamette University 2, Whitworth College 1 - Box Score
Jarrid Summers struck out six batters in six innings against Whitworth.
