By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University's Rocco Granucci (Jr., RF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) and infielder Liam O'Connor (Fy., SS/3B, Evergreen, CO/Conifer HS) each smacked a home run, and Clint Walker (Grad., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) hit a triple, but a slow start doomed the Bearcats in a 10-6 loss to California Lutheran University on Sunday, April 28 at John Lewis Field. The game between two strong teams began with CLU building a 9-0 lead through the top of the third inning. Willamette outscored the Kingsmen 6-1 during the rest of the game, but couldn't overcome the early deficit.
California Lutheran advanced its record to 26-11 with the win. Willamette fell to 23-12 with the non-conference loss.
Overall, Willamette registered five hits that went for extra bases, including one double each for Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS) and Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS). California Lutheran hit five doubles, but no triples or homers. Alec Garcia and Blake Wink each connected for two of the doubles. CLU ended the game with a 14-10 advantage in hits.
Willamette will close out the regular season with a three-game series against current Northwest Conference leader Whitman College on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 at John Lewis Field. Whitman is 15-6 in the NWC and Willamette is 13-8. The Bearcats will have to win all three games to move in front of the Blues for first place.
Whitworth University is in third place in the NWC at 12-9, and Pacific University is fourth at 10-10. The top four teams in the final regular season standings will qualify for the NWC Tournament, which will be hosted by the top-seeded team. Linfield University at 11-12 and George Fox University at 10-11 also are in the running for NWC Tournament berths.
The Kingsmen scored two runs in the first, added five runs in the second, and plated two runs in the third on Sunday. In the first, Garcia hit a leadoff double and scored with one out on a single by Kai Caranto. Caranto went to third on a single by Lucas Danielewicz and later scored on a double-steal.
During the second inning, Garcia hit an RBI double with one out, and Wink followed with a two-run double. Later, Sebastian Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Josh Quinn hit an RBI single. Two of the runs were unearned. A double by Wink in the third inning, plus two errors, led to two unearned runs in the third, as CLU upped its lead to 9-0.
Walker hit his triple as the leadoff batter in the Bearcats half of the third. He scored one out later on a wild pitch. Foster was batting when the wild pitch occurred and eventually walked. He scored later in the inning on another wild pitch.
The Bearcats scored three runs in the sixth inning to pull with 9-5 on the scoreboard. O'Conner hit a pinch-hit home run down the left field line with one out. After Hoffman walked and went to second on a balk with two outs, Granucci launched a two-run homer to left field.
Each team added one more run during the game. CLU tallied its run in the top of the seventh when Caranto doubled, went to third on a groundout, and scored on a single by Troy Anderson. Willamette scored in the bottom of the eighth. Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS) singled and went to second on a base hit by Foster. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Stoltz crossed the plate when a single by Hoffman led to a wild throw from third base.
For Willamette, Hoffman finished 2 of 3 with two walks and a run scored, while Foster went 2 of 4 with a walk and one run. Walker was 1 for 3 with two walks and a run scored.
Quinn was 4 for 5 for California Lutheran with a run and an RBI. Four Kingsmen each earned two hits, with Caranto scoring four runs and Wink recording two runs and two RBIs. Garcia also scored twice.
