By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Willamette University starters Brandon Nelson (Fr., RHP, Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta HS) and Matt Steindorf (Fr., RHP, Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay HS) each pitched seven innings, and the Bearcats pounded outs 29 hits during the afternoon, as the Bearcats won both games of a doubleheader against Pacific University, 8-6 and 12-4, on Saturday, April 2. Nelson recorded four strikeouts and Steindorf fanned one batter, while each pitcher allowed seven hits and no walks.
Perry Van Eckhardt (So., CF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) blasted a home run for the Bearcats in each game. Jack Brett (So., C, Aurora, CO/Regis Jesuit HS) of Willamette and Kurtis Kloke of Pacific each hit a homer in the first game.
Jackson Watt (Sr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) pitched the final two innings for Willamette in the opener. Harbour Harrison (Fr., RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) threw in the eighth inning and Nolan Boggini (Fr., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS) pitched the ninth inning in the second game.
Willamette improved to 16-14 on the season and to 10-10 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific fell to 17-11 overall, 10-7 in the NWC. The three-game series will conclude on Sunday, April 3 with a game starting at 12 p.m. (PDT).
Eckhardt and Brett Smack Homers in First Game
The Bearcats took an early lead in the opener by tallying two runs in the first stanza. Troy Conway (So., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS) doubled to right center to start the game. He advanced to third on a ground out, before Mason Fessler (So., 3B, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) walked.
Conway scored on a double-steal. Fessler went to second on the play, and then advanced to third when the throw home was wild. Fessler scored on a single by Eric Del Prado (So., 1B, El Segundo, CA/Loyola HS).
Willamette led 2-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when Pacific cut the margin to 2-1. Walker Olis began the inning with a double. Kloke hit a double to center to move Olis to third. Olis scored when Dylan Wright grounded out to first base.
The Bearcats tacked on a run in the sixth on a solo home run by Van Eckhardt with two outs. Kloke homered for Pacific in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Boxers within 3-2.
Brett pounded a two-run homer with one out in the top of the eighth to give Willamette a 5-2 lead. Ty Wyatt (So., INF, Keizer, OR/McNary HS) who doubled immediately prior to Brett's hit, also scored on the play. Tyler Janitz (Fr., SS, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) singled and two batters walked to load the bases, but Pacific escaped without additional damage.
Three runs by the Bearcats in the ninth gave WU an 8-2 advantage. A leadoff double by Del Prado down the left field line and a bunt single by Shea Harrison (Sr., OF/RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS), who batted next, were the only hits of the inning. Three walks, a hit batsman and a balk also contributed. Brett and Conway earned RBIs on bases-loaded walks.
Pacific scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth to make the score close. Kloke drove in the final two runs with a two-out single to left field. Watt struck out Wright to end the game with runners at first and third.
Conway was 2 for 3 for Willamette and walked three times. He also scored once and earned one RBI. Del Prado went 2 for 5 and Van Eckhardt went 2 for 3, as each player scored a run and drove in a run. For L&C, Ben Duerr was 3 for 3 with a run scored and Kloke was 3 for 5 with three RBIs.
Nelson improved to 3-5 with the win. Watt registered his fifth save of the season and is now tied for second on Willamette's all-time list with 12 career saves. Pacific starter Paul Wolfram fell to 5-3 with the loss.
Bailey Earns Five Hits for Bearcats in Game 2
Connor Bailey (Fr., LF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) went 5 for 5 in the second game to lead Willamette. He scored three runs, hit a double, and earned two RBIs. Fessler and Del Prado each went 3 for 5, helping the Bearcats amass 18 hits.
As in the first game, Willamette took a quick lead in the first inning. The Bearcats plated three runs on four hits. The first run was scored with one out following consecutive singles by Bailey, Fessler and Del Prado. Wyatt batted next, and hit a two-run double to center field.
Pacific trailed 3-0 at the end of the first stanza, but tied the game at 3-3 with one run in each of the next three innings. Two of the three runs were unearned.
Willamette surged into a big lead with six runs on six hits in the top of the fifth. Del Prado started the rally with back-to-back singles. Van Eckhardt moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Janitz hit an infield single for the first RBI. A double steal with Janitz going to second, resulted in Wyatt scoring from third.
Parra and Bailey added RBI singles, while Fessler drove in the final two runs of the inning with a double to left center. The Bearcats were in front 9-3.
Van Eckhardt scored on a solo homer in the sixth inning. WU plated two more runs in the seventh to extend the lead to 12-3. Bailey drove in the first run in the seventh with a double to left field. Pacific earned the game's last run in the bottom of the eighth.
Steindorf upped his record to 5-2 for the Bearcats. He gave up three runs, but allowed just one earned run. Sam Lawrence of Pacific moved to 4-2 with the loss after allowing seven runs and 12 hits in 4 1/2 innings.
