By Charlie McGuire, Athletic Communications Assistant

SALEM, Ore. – The Willamette University baseball team had a strong start to its 2024 campaign, hosting a doubleheader with visiting State University of New York at Oneonta in action at John Lewis Field on Friday, Feb. 23. The Bearcats jumped out early in game one under first-year Head Coach Mike Coduto and won on the run rule. Senior Jeff Hoffman (INF, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) led the way in the opener, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, a triple, and four RBIs in a 13-1 victory.

Game 2 turned into a back-and-forth thriller, with Willamette loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth and scoring the game-winner on a sacrifice fly to complete the sweep and start the season 2-0. The Bearcats scored seven runs in the sixth inning and scored one in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. They went on to win the nightcap, 13-12.

Hoffman Hits Two Homeruns as Bearcats Roll in Season Opener 13-1

Willamette took a quick lead on a two-run homer off the bat of Hoffman in the bottom of the first inning in Game 1. The Red Dragons capitalized on a Bearcat error to answer with an unearned run in the top of the third to pull within 2-1.

The Bearcats quickly countered on the bottom half of the inning when Hoffman tripled and came in to score on a two-run bomb over the left field fence from junior outfielder Rocco Granucci (San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS). Oneonta State went three-up, three-down in the top of the fourth before Willamette erupted with five runs at the plate in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 9-1.

Rookie catcher Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS) drove in the first run in the fourth, reaching on a bunt single. Hoffman later cleared the bases with a grand slam to left field, raising his RBI total to six for the game.

Stoltz tallied his second RBI in the bottom of the fifth, driving in Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B/LF, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS) on a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Hoffman and Granucci recorded back-to-back singles and came in to score on a single from Carl Lawson (Sr., OF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS). Wyatt Thames (Jr., OF, Elk Grove, CA/Huntington Beach HS) singled in another run for the final score of 13-1.

Hoffman finished 4-for-4 with two home runs, a triple, six RBIs. He also recorded five assists on defense. Granucci went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Lawson and each added two hits as well, combining for two runs scored and two RBI in the opener.

Willamette's big lead resulted in the run rule, ending the game after the seventh inning. Layton Wagner (Gr., RHP/1B, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) went the distance for the win, recording four strikeouts while allowing just four hits and surrendering one walk.

Bearcats Rally and Score in the Bottom of the Ninth to Take Game Two, 13-12

Oneonta State had a better showing in Game 2, erasing a 4-1 deficit with five runs in the top of the fifth inning to pull in front, 6-4. The lead continued to shift until Willamette won 13-12.

A pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt set the stage for an RBI fielder's choice by Oneonta's Joey Dwyer to put the Red Dragons on the board in the first inning. Willamette took a 3-1 lead in the third. Clint Walker (Gr., OF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) walked and stole second before Hoffman was intentionally walked. Granucci drove in both runners with a two-out double and came around himself on an RBI single from Wagner.

Tassos Foster (Sr., IF, Novato, CA/Novato HS) reached on a single and stole second base before scoring on a single from Drew Baskin (Jr., INF, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS). That stretched the lead to 4-1 in the fourth.

The Red Dragons scored five runs with two outs in the fifth. They used four hits, highlighted by an RBI double from Dwyer. Dwyer drove in another run in the sixth as Oneonta tacked on three runs for a 9-4 advantage with the help of an RBI from Sean Liquori and a sacrifice fly by Matt Sandoval.

The Bearcat offense came alive in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring seven runs to slip ahead, 11-9. After a lead-off single from Foster, the Bearcats used three walks and a balk to plate the first run of the rally. Granucci singled through the right side before Wagner drew another free pass to cut the deficit to 9-8.

Lawson put Willamette on top with a two-RBI single and Foster came up again, walking in another to make the score, 11-9. The Bearcats held in the top of the seventh with three straight outs. Hoffman reached on an error, but Oneonta was able to keep the score 11-9, heading into the eighth.

Dwyer continued with the hot bat, doubling down the left field line and back-to-back singles from Liquori and Sandoval tied the game, 11-11. Liam Kaseda put Oneonta back on top, 12-11, with a single before the Bearcats recorded the third out of the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth Lawson reached on a single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. He would come home to tie the game on an infield single by Foster.

The Bearcats kept the Dragons off the board, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth, tied 12-12. Hoffman walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Wagner was intentionally walked Lawson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jackson Garrett (Sr., UT, Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad HS) came through in the clutch, launching a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hoffman for the winning run.

Sophomore right-hander Steven Verespey (San Ramon, CA/California HS) went 4.2 innings in the start, recording three strikeouts. Classmate Dylan Turner (RHP, Dallas, TX/Wilson HS) booked three strikeouts in two innings of relief while Logan Haslam (Sr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) struck out two in one inning of work. Brady Joyner (Sr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) came on to close in the ninth, earning the win.

Granucci went 3-for-3 at the plate, recording three RBI and scoring a pair of runs. Foster went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI while Lawson added a pair of hits, two RBI and one run scored to help the Bearcats complete the sweep. Wagner walked twice and drove in two runs. Walker scored twice after earning three walks on the day.

Coduto starts 2-0 in his first season as the head coach of the Bearcats. The teams will run it back tomorrow with another doubleheader. The opening pitch for game one is scheduled for 11 a.m. PST.