Game One
Game Two
PORTLAND, Ore., - The Lewis & Clark baseball
team opened Northwest Conference play with two tough losses on a
frigid Saturday afternoon at the Houston Sports Complex against
Willamette University. The Bearcats knocked off the Pioneers 5-0 in
game one of the double-header, before taking a 14-4 come from
behind win, after eight innings. The two teams are set to partake
in another double-header on Sunday, March 1 to conclude the
four-game series.
Early errors sank the Pioneer's ship, allowing the Bearcats
to jump to a 3-0 lead by the end of the second inning of game one
on four Pio errors allowing Willamette runners to cross the plate.
Jordan Wlodarczyk tried to get things going for the Pioneers in the
bottom of the second inning, leading off with a double to left
field but would find himself stranded at third.
The Pioneers next best scoring chance would come in the sixth
inning, with three L&C batters touching base. Sam Holman led
off the inning with a walk and made his way to second on a
sacrifice bunt by Parker Dane. A Bearcat error put Michael Ball on
base, followed by a single by Sami Morgan that loaded the bases for
the Pios. Despite having two runners in scoring position the
Willamette pitcher would work himself out of a jam, retiring the
next to Pio batters.
Willamette would squeeze in one more run in the top of the ninth
inning of action, to take a 5-0 lead that would stick as the final
score.
The second game of the double-header started out much differently,
with the Pioneers grabbing a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second
on five hits. Wlodarczyk kicked off the inning with a bang, firing
a shot down the right field line, and legging out a triple. A.J.
Brown would bring in Wlodarczyk on the next Pio at bat with a
groundout to short. Ryan Kostecka and Holman would both reach base
on singles and would eventually come around to score, while Dane
picked up an RBI after drilling a shot to right center for a
double.
Willamette would take a one run advantage after back-to-back two
run innings, before piling on five more runs in the top of the
fifth inning for a 9-3 lead. The Pioneers would get one run back in
the bottom of the fifth when Ball crossed the plate for the second
time of the game, but it would not be enough to pull the team
closer to victory. The Bearcats would put up five more runs before
the game was called at the conclusion of the eighth inning with
Willamette leading the Pioneers 14-4.
The Pioneers fall to 0-6 (0-2 NWC) on the season, while the
Bearcats improve to 4-1 (2-0 NWC). Firs pitch for Sunday is
scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
