By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Junior right fielder Samuel Daly (El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) pounded out a single, a double, and a home run, to go along with five RBIs, as he helped Willamette University earn a 12-3 victory over Bushnell University (Ore.) in a non-conference game on Tuesday, April 5 at John Lewis Field. The Bearcats accumulated 13 hits on offense, while six Willamette pitchers struck out Bushnell batters a total of 12 times.
The win moved Willamette to 15-14 on the season. The Bearcats have been at or above the .500 mark since the second game of a doubleheader against Lewis & Clark College on March 13. Bushnell dropped to 9-24.
On his way to hitting for three-fourths of the cycle, Daly earned a two-run single in the fourth inning, added a double and scored a run in the sixth, and smacked a two-run homer in the seventh. Daly is hitting .380 (16 of 42) in his last 13 games. Jeff Hoffman (So., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) tacked on a 2-of-4 performance with a double and two runs scored. Daly and Hoffman each scored twice.
Eight other Bearcats earned one hit. Ryan Whithorn (Grad., 2B, Claremont, CA/The Webb School/Chaffey College) and Tassos Foster (So., INF, Novato, CA/Novato HS) each belted a triple. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS), Ethan Dunnam (Jr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS), and Trey Topping (Fy., C, Valencia, CA/West Ranch HS) added one double apiece. Ethan Fischel (Sr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) hit a two-run single. Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/UT, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Rocco Granucci (Fy., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) also singled.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Willamette plated five runs on four hits and two errors.
Whithorn opened the frame with a triple to right field. Fischel batted next and placed a sacrifice bunt three yards in front of the plate and a bit to the right. Pitcher Ethan Paulson grabbed the ball and chose to throw home, but Whithorn was safe, as Fischel reached first base. Hoffman then singled to center. One out later, Fischel and Hoffman completed a double-steal, and Dunnam drove in Fischel with a double. Daly singled up the middle, allowing Hoffman and Dunnam to cross the plate. Granucci walked and Daly reached third on a throwing error. Although Daly was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice later in the inning, Granucci eventually scored the fifth run on an error.
The Beacons cut the margin to 5-2 in the top of the sixth. Jeff Fripp started the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A double to center by Kyle Casperson brought Fripp home. Casperson later scored on a ground out by Reece Carganilla. WU responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Daly powered a double to right center with one out and scored on a two-out triple by Foster. Werkmeister-Martin added an RBI double, and Fischel provided an RBI single.
Bushnell tallied a run in the seventh before the Bearcats tacked on three runs in the second half of the inning for an 11-3 lead. Hoffman doubled and Wagner followed with an RBI single. Wagner was caught stealing, but Topping sent a double down the left field line and Daly blasted a two-run homer to left field. WU earned the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth when Drew Baskin (Fy., INF, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS) was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Daly.
Three of Willamette's six pitchers -- Ben Kowalski (Jr., RHP, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS), Dawson Enright (Grad., RHP, San Diego, CA/James Madison HS), and Logan Haslam (So., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) -- each struck out three batters. Wagner, who started the game in left field and pitched the final inning, struck out two batters. Pruitt Spritzer (Jr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep) was credited with one strikeout. Enright improved to 1-1 with the win. Paulson fell to 0-2 for the Beacons, who used a total of seven pitchers.
Willamette will take on Pacific University in a Northwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 in Forest Grove, Ore. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. (PDT).
