By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Justin Scanlon (Sr., 2B, San Jose, CA/Leigh HS/West Valley College) of Willamette University went 3 for 4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and a two-run homer, but the University of Puget Sound defeated the Bearcats, 11-7, in a Northwest Conference baseball game on Sunday, Feb. 23 at John Lewis Field. Willamette, which defeated the Loggers 7-6 and 17-9 on Saturday, won the three-game series two games to one. The Bearcats completed the weekend at 5-5 overall and 2-1 in the NWC. Puget Sound went to 4-6 on the season, 1-2 in the NWC.
In addition to recording three hits, Scanlon scored three runs and earned three RBIs. Nick Di Fiori (Jr., INF/RHP, Monrovia, CA/Bishop Amat HS) was 3 of 5 for the Bearcats with a triple and two RBIs, while Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Fy., DH/UT, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) was 2 for 5 with one RBI.
Hunter Riley of Puget Sound finished 3 of 5 with a double, a homer, two runs and four RBIs. Riley hit a home run in all three games over the weekend. Jacob Ota went 4 for 6 with a solo homer, two runs and two RBIs for the Loggers. Jackson Bolitho was 3 of 5 with a double, a triple, four runs and four RBIs. Ricardo Barraza belted a solo home run.
The Loggers built a 4-0 lead in the first three innings. The Bearcats countered by scoring twice in the bottom of the third and adding two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 4-4. Puget Sound moved ahead with three runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh for a 9-4 advantage. WU cut the margin to 9-5 with a run in the bottom of the seventh. After the Loggers increased their lead to 11-5, the Bearcats plated the game's final two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Puget Sound put the first three runs on the scoreboard in the second inning. With one out, Barraza was hit by a pitch, and then Bolitho belted an RBI triple into the left field corner. Riley batted next and smacked a two-run homer to left field. Ota created the game's next run with a homer to left field to start the top of the third.
With one out in the bottom of the third, Joey Faudskar (Sr., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS) reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman. Faudskar stole second, and then went to third when the catcher threw the ball into center field. A short ground out by Ethan Fischel (So., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) forced Faudskar to remain at third. Faudskar scored when Scanlon batted next and pounded a homer over the right center field fence.
In Willamette's half of the fifth inning, Fischel and Faudskar hit back-to-back doubles with one out to produce a run. With two outs, Layton Wagner (Fy., 3B/RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) singled down the left field line, as he drove in Faudskar from second with the tying run in a 4-4 deadlock.
A two-RBI single to right center by Mason Quinlan and a bases-loaded RBI single toward third by Ota pushed the Loggers into a 7-4 advantage in the top of the sixth. Puget Sound added Barraza's leadoff homer in the seventh, then Bolitho doubled down the right field line. With one out at Bolitho at third, Kyle Strash hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 9-4 lead.
For WU in the bottom of the seventh, Wagner received a walk with two outs and then reached home on a triple by Di Fiori to cut the margin to 9-5. Willamette was unable to get closer.
The Loggers added two runs in the top of the eighth on a double by Riley. In Willamette's last at bat, Fischel walked and Scanlon doubled to put runners at second and third. Werkmeister drove in Fischel with a ground out to shortstop. With two outs, Di Fiori singled up the middle to send Scanlon across the plate. Nelsen grounded out to end the game.
Willamette is scheduled to play a three-game Northwest Conference series at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, next weekend. The teams will open the series with two games on Saturday, Feb. 29 starting at 11 a.m. (PST). The Bearcats and the Pioneers will conclude the series with one game on Sunday, March 1 at 12 p.m.
