By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) of Willamette University smacked a two-run homer in the first inning and Drew Baskin (Jr., SS, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) added a three-run homer in the ninth, as the Bearcats earned a 12-8 victory over North Central College in the first game of a doubleheader at Zimmerman Stadium on Saturday, April 13. The Cardinals of North Central rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second game with six runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 7-4 win over the Bearcats. Willamette took the three-game series, 2-1.
In Saturday's opener, WU starter Layton Wagner (Grad., RHP/INF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS), now 7-1, went six innings and allowed two runs on eight hits. He had four strikeouts. Reliever Logan Haslam (Sr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) pitched the final three innings for his second save of the year. Haslam struck out four batters and allowed six runs, but only two runs were earned.
During the second game, Yuhki Yamada of North Central was 3 for 5. For the Bearcats, Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS) went 3 of 5 with a double and two run, while Rocco Granucci (Jr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) pounded out a three-run homer and provided four RBIs.
Willamette will play at Concordia University Chicago on Sunday, April 14. Game time in Chicago is 12 p.m. CDT / 10 a.m. PDT.
Hoffman Registers Ninth Home Run of Season in Game 1
Hoffman's two-run homer was his ninth of the season and the 40th of his career. He trails only Kyle Stalker on Willamette's all-time list. Stalker belted 51 homers from 2006-09. On Saturday, Foster walked to open the game and Hoffman hit the ball over the left field fence. Jackson Bland of NCC provided the Cardinals with an RBI single in the bottom of the first, cutting WU's lead to 2-1.
Willamette's next run featured Hoffman and Foster in the third inning. Foster connected on a double and went to third on a wild pitch. He scored when Hoffman grounded out to the shortop. The Bearcats tacked on another run for a 4-1 margin in the top of the fifth. Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS) singled up the middle with one out. Two walks loaded the bases and Stoltz reached home plate on a sacrifice fly by Granucci. North Central added a run in the bottom of the inning.
The Bearcats plated three runs in the sixth for a 7-2 advantage. Clint Walker (Grad., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) was hit by a pitch to start the inning. He quickly reached third on a stolen base and a throwing error by the catcher. Walker scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B/LF, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/UC Davis). Later, Foster provided WU with a two-run single to center, as Baskin and Wyatt Thames (Jr., OF, Elk Grove, CA/Huntington Beach HS/Biola University) scored.
NCC tacked on a run in the seventh and Willamette scored once in the eighth for an 8-3 lead. The Bearcats plated four runs in the ninth. The first three runs crossed the plate on a Baskin's homer to left. Also scoring on the play were Walker and Piazza. After Baskin homered, Thames singled through the left side and eventually scored on a single by Granucci.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Cardinals scored five runs on two hits, one error, two hit batsmen, and two walks. With one out and WU leading 12-4, Jaden Weinzierl was hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded and Yamada walked. A sacrifice fly by Kolby Fujii and an RBI single by Bland cut WU's lead to 12-8. Haslam struck out Dave Fitzpatrick to end the game.
Players with two hits for Willamette in the first game were Foster, Hoffman, Piazza, Thames, and Stoltz. Thames scored three runs. For NCC, Bland was 4 of 6 with two RBIs.
Granucci Hits Homer, but NCC Rallies to Win Game 2
During the second game, Granucci blasted a three-run homer in the first inning and Willamette led 3-1 after five-and-a-half innings. North Central scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for a 7-4 win.
The game began with Foster hitting an infield single toward the shortstop and Hoffman providing a single up the middle. Granucci sent his home run over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the third, Yamada singled and stole second base for the Cardinals with two outs. He scored on a single to right center by Bland.
Starters EJ McGrew (So., LHP, Oakland, CA/St. Mary's College Prep) of WU and Brian Duvall of NCC kept both teams from scoring over the next five half-innings. The Cardinals changed momentum with their six runs in the sixth, as North Central claimed a 7-3 lead. Key hits were a two-RBI single by Zach Carpita and an RBI single by Jack Oberli.
Willamette scored a run in the seventh when Foster doubled, advanced on a groundout by Hoffman, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Granucci. WU had runners at second and third with two outs in the eighth after Thames doubled, but did not score. Luke Lehnen of NCC faced three batters in the ninth inning to register his fourth save. Duvall improved to 2-0.
