By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University and Pacific University played a pair of extra-inning Northwest Conference games on Saturday, May 1 at John Lewis Field. In the 9-inning first game, the Boxers scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning for an 8-5 win. In the 7-inning second game, Jeff Hoffman (Fy., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) of Willamette smacked a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 5-4 victory.
With the split, Willamette moved to 26-12 overall, 20-10 in the NWC. Pacific ended the day at 24-10 overall, 19-7 in the NWC.
The Bearcats forced extra innings in both games. In the opener, WU scored once in the bottom of the eighth and twice in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 5-5 and push it into the 10th. In the second game, the Bearcats tallied one run each in the fifth and sixth stanzas to send the game into the eighth tied at 3-3 one inning later.
Both games were played using the international tie-breaker. Each extra inning begins with a runner -- the player who batted last in the previous inning -- at second base.
In the second game, Ryan Krout was at second base for Pacific in the top of the eighth. He went to third on a single through the left side by Ian Blair. Krout scored on a sacrifice fly to left center by Jordan Hara to give the Boxers a 4-3 lead. Blair was picked off at first base and Tanner Johnson lined out to Ethan Fischel (Jr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) at shortstop to end the inning.
The bottom of the eighth began with Fischel on second base for the Bearcats. Hoffman, who hit a solo homer in the sixth inning, blasted a 2-run homer to left field to end the game.
Pacific took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2. The Boxers earned three hits during the innings, including a 2-RBI single by Tyler Quinn. An RBI double by Quinn in the third stanza increased Pacific's lead to 3-0. WU starting pitcher Justin Miller (Sr./Jr., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway HS/Palomar CC) remained in the game and kept the Boxers from scoring again until the top of the eighth.
WU cut the margin to 3-1 when Tyler Vandemark (Sr., OF, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) opened the bottom of the third with a solo homer to left field. In the fifth, Joey Faudskar (Grad., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS) and Vandemark walked with no outs. Sean Little (Sr., INF, Corvallis, OR/Crescent Valley HS) provided a sacrifice bunt and Faudskar scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Werkmeister-Martin. Hoffman's solo homer to left center with one out in the sixth tied the score.
The Bearcats outhit the Boxers, 10-7, in the second game, but hit into three double plays and left seven runners on base. In the fourth inning, a double play early in the frame helped prevent WU from scoring despite three hits.
Hoffman was 2 of 4 with his two homers, two runs, and three RBIs. Layton Wagner (So., INF/RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) went 3 for 3 at the plate. Michael Nelsen (Sr., C, Folsom, CA/Vista Del Lago HS) was 2 of 3 with a double. Quinn finished 2 of 3 with a double and three RBIs for Pacific. Blair was 2 of 4 with a run scored.
Miller pitched all eight innings and improved to 4-1 on the season. He earned four strikeouts and did not allow a walk. Reliever Liam Cammall fell to 1-2 for the Boxers.
Willamette grabbed a 2-1 lead in the first game by scoring twice in the third inning. With one out, Wagner singled and Vandemark and Little both walked to load the bases. One out later, Samuel Daly (So., RF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) hit a 2-RBI single to center field.
In the fifth, Pacific scored twice. Brandon Silowka doubled with one out and scored with two outs when Chase Anderson reached first and second on a throwing error. Krout drove in Anderson with a single to left, giving Pacific a 3-2 advantage. A 2-run homer by Krout in the eighth inning increased the Boxers' lead to 5-2.
Nelsen blasted a solo homer for WU in the eighth inning to cut the margin to 5-3. In the bottom of the ninth, Vandemark singled and Little doubled down the left field line to place runners at second and third. Vandemark scored on a sacrifice fly by Werkmeister-Martin and Little crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Daly. Daly's long flyout was caught at the fence, just feet from ending the game with a 2-run homer.
In the top of the 10th, Anderson was placed on second base. He went to third on a passed ball and scored on a double by Blair with one out. Blair scored when Hara followed with a double. Quinn walked and then Isaac Lovings drove in Hara with a single, giving Pacific an 8-5 lead. Willamette sent just three batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning.
Relief pitcher Davis Koester of Pacific tossed four innings to improve to 3-1. He struck out four batters, while allowing three hits and three runs. Pacific starter Will Clark went six innings, struck out six batters, and had four walks. For the Bearcats, Wagner threw 7 1/3 innings and struck out nine batters with one walk. Reliever Brady Joyner fell to 4-1.
Wagner was 3 of 4 for WU in the opener with one run scored. He went on to finish the day 6 for 7 overall. Nelsen was 2 for 5 with a homer in the first game. Daly drove in three runs, while Vandemark hit a homer and scored twice. Anderson of Pacific was 2 of 5 with three runs scored. Krout went 2 for 5 with a homer, one run, and three RBIs.
The Bearcats and the Boxers will play a doubleheader on Sunday, May 2 to complete the four-game series. First pitch at John Lewis Field is slated for 12 p.m. (PDT).
