By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

MILWAUKIE, Ore. -- Justin Scanlon (Sr., 2B, San Jose, CA/Leigh HS/West Valley College) and Eric Waldichuk each belted a triple for the Willamette University baseball team on Sunday, Feb. 16, but Lewis & Clark College outscored the Bearcats, 11-6, in a non-conference game at the Milwaukie High School Field. Willamette slipped to 3-4 on the season. L&C improved to 2-5.

Scanlon was 2 for 5 at the plate, while Waldichuk and five other Bearcats each registered one hit. In addition to the triples by Scanlon and Waldichuk, the Bearcats received a double from Layton Wagner (Fy., 3B/RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and a double from Michael Nelsen (Jr., C, Folsom, CA/Vista Del Lago HS). Waldichuk and Wagner both scored a run and earned one RBI. Ethan Fischel (So., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) contributed two RBIs.

L&C received two hits each from four players. Michael Contrera was 2 of 3 with a run scored. Jack Thomson went 2 for 3 and scored four runs. Zack Kon finished 2 of 4 with a run and three RBIs, while Justin Katona went 2 of 4 with an RBI. Sam Helms hit a three-run homer while going 1 for 2 with a run and four RBIs. In addition, the Pioneers benefited from six walks and three hit batters.

The Pioneers scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the third stanza for a 4-0 lead. In the top of the first, L&C earned three singles, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, while scoring one earned run and one unearned run. In the third inning, Thomson was hit by a pitch with one out, and then stole second base. Kon singled and Helms walked to load the bases. Katona and Sammy Benbow followed with back-to-back RBI singles.

L&C tacked on four runs in the fourth inning to double its advantage. Helms provided the key play with his three-run homer to left field. The Pioneers added an unearned run in the fifth and an earned run in the sixth for a 10-0 margin. In the sixth, Kon hit a double to driving in Thomson, who opened the inning with a single.

Willamette registered two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 10-2. Nelsen doubled to begin the stanza. With two outs and Nelsen at third base, Waldichuk tripled to send Nelsen across the plate. Scanlon batted next and drove in Waldichuk with another triple.

The Pioneers claimed their final run in the top of the seventh. David Schmidt walked to start the inning and later scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Kon with the bases loaded. Helms popped up to end the inning.

Willamette tallied three scores in the bottom of the seventh and plated one run in the ninth. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Fy., DH/UT, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) singled to begin the seventh inning, and Wagner brought him around the bases with a double to right center. Jonny Suchor (Fy., DH/UT, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) walked and then a ground out moved the runners to second and third. Joey Faudskar (Sr., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS) recorded an RBI while reaching base on an infield error, as Wagner scored and Suchor went to third. After Faudskar stole second base, Fischel hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Suchor.

With one out in the ninth, Hayden Vaughn (Fy, C, Westlake Village, CA/Westlake HS) singled down the left field line. He moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third when Faudskar flied out to center field, and scored on a single by Fischel.

The Bearcats will open Northwest Conference play Saturday, Feb. 22 with a doubleheader at John Lewis Field against the University of Puget Sound. The first game is set to begin at 11 a.m. (PST).