The Pioneer baseball team split Sunday's doubleheader, falling
2-1 (box score)
in game one and then stunning the #12 team in the country with a
4-0 (box score)
victory in game two. Jordan Wlodarczyk hit a three run shot to
support Tucker Laurence in his shutout victory.
In game one, the Pioneers staked starting pitcher Jordon Smiley
(senior, Las Vegas, Nevada) to a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Jordan Shibata (senior, Pearl City, Hawaii) reached on an error to
lead off the game. He scored on an RBI single to left off the bat
of AJ Brown (senior, Vancouver, Wash.).
The Wildcats tried to counter in the bottom of the inning, with
their leadoff hitter doubling to left. The Wildcats bunted him over
to third, but Smiley worked around the threat to get out of the
inning without giving up a run. He only gave up one other hit, a
leadoff single in the third, in the first four innings. In the
fifth, Smiley walked the first two batters he faced. A double by
the Wildcats' leadoff hitter, Ellis, scored the two runs to
give Linfield a 2-1 lead. They held on to win by that same
score.
Smiley worked the complete seven-inning game, allowing just four
hits, walking two and striking out four. Jordan Wlodarczyk (junior,
Lake Oswego, Ore.) had two hits in the game for the Pioneers.
In game two, Tucker Laurence (freshman, San Martin, Calif.)
improved to 6-1 on the season, pitching a complete seven-inning
game to earn the win in the Pioneers' 4-0 victory. Laurence
scattered seven hits, walked two, and struck out four in his
shutout.
On the offensive side, the Pioneers got some help from the Wildcats
to set things up in the third inning. With two outs, Jordan Shibata
reached on an error by the third baseman. Roland Greene (freshman,
Encinitas, Calif.) walked, giving the Pioneers two aboard for
Jordan Wlodarczyk. Wlodarczyk homered to right field, putting the
Pioneers up 3-0. They added one more run in the seventh inning.
Mike Orr (senior, Boulder, Colo.) doubled to start the 7th, scoring
on a sac fly by Neal Finch (junior, Boulder, Colo.).
Mike Orr had two hits in the game. Wlodarczyk had just the one hit,
his fourth home run of the season.
The Pioneers are now 11-21 (9-19 NWC). The 12th-ranked Linfield
Wildcats are 25-7 (20-4 NWC).
The Pioneers will play a non-Conference game against Division I
University of Portland Pilots Wednesday afternoon at the UP campus.
They will be back at home next weekend, hosting the Pacific Boxers
in a four-game series.
