GAME 1
GAME 2
PORTLAND, Ore. - Northwest Conference action did
not start the way the Lewis & Clark baseball team had hoped, as
the Pioneers dropped their series opening double-header to the
Pacific (Ore.) Boxers on Saturday at the Houston Sports Complex.
The Boxers earned a 13-7 win in the first game, before coming from
behind to steal game two from the Pios 10-8.
Northwest Conference action did not start the way the Lewis &
Clark baseball team had hoped, as the Pioneers dropped their series
opening double-header to the Pacific (Ore.) Boxers on Saturday at
the Houston Sports Complex. The Boxers earned a 13-7 win in the
first game, before coming from behind to steal game two from the
Pios 10-8.
The loss bumps the Pioneers to 1-5 on the season and 0-2 in
conference action. The Boxers are now 3-4 overall and 2-0 in the
NWC.
Junior Sam Holman put the Pioneers on the board in the second
inning, scoring sophomore Parker Dane, after singling to right
field. Pacific evened things in the top of the next inning, with
their lead off batter finding his way around the bases, reaching on
a hard hit single down the left field line.
A lead off single from Geoff Wertz in the bottom of the inning set
up the Pios for their next run, allowing them to recapture the lead
on a Michael Ball double, sending Wertz across the plate.
The Boxers got their bats going in the top of the fourth inning,
managing to post four runs on seven hits, to jump to a 5-2 lead.
The Pios responded with three runs in the bottom half of the
inning. Senior Jim Bray came around to score on a balk by the Boxer
pitcher, before Guiseppe Baffaro ripped a shot to right field,
sending Wertz and Holman home.
Nate Rasmussen broke the tie for the Boxers in the top of the
fifth, hitting a solo home run over the left field fence. The
Boxers extended their lead to three runs in the eighth inning, on
back-to-back doubles that scored two runners. The Pios answered
with a huge double of their own in the bottom of the inning, to
pull within one run, 8-7. Dane knocked in the two runs for the
Pios, hitting a double to right center that plated Bray and
Grisham.
Things opened up for the Boxers in the ninth inning, with five runs
coming across the plate on four hits, extending their lead to 13-7.
The runs would stand, as the Pios were unable to muster up any
offense in their half of the inning, handing Pacific the game one
victory.
The second game of the twinbill began with the Boxers jumping ahead
1-0 in the first inning, after Joey Pulito came around to score,
after leading off the game with a double up the middle.
The Pioneers captured the lead in the bottom of the third, jumping
ahead 2-1, after sitting back and playing small ball that sent
freshman Zach Perez and Ball across the plate. Things continued to
look up for the Pios, who tallied five more runs in the fifth.
The Pios monster inning began with senior Sami Morgan finding his
way on base with a single to right. A single by Grisham, two
batters later, brought Morgan in and advanced Tucker Laurence into
scoring position. Laurence would come around to score on another
Pio single, before Grisham would find his way home on yet another
single. A single by Perez with two outs, would plate the final two
runs of the inning for the Pioneers, putting them ahead 7-1.
Unfazed by the Pioneers offensive charge, the Boxers rallied their
bats through the following two innings, jumping ahead 8-7. A huge
grand-slam by Mike Nagamine in the seventh inning contributed to
four of the Boxers seven runs.
Pacific carried the momentum into the top of the ninth inning,
scoring two more runs to take a 10-7 lead. The Pioneers tried to
come from behind in the bottom half of the inning, but only managed
one more run to pick up their second loss of the day.
The two teams resume play on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 12 p.m. at the
Houston Sports Complex, playing game three of the series.
