BOX
SCORE
PORTLAND, Ore. - In its highest scoring game of
the season, the Lewis & Clark baseball team held on to earn a
15-10 decision from the Willamette Bearcats in a non-conference
contest at the Huston Sports Complex.
The Pioneers improve to 9-13 on the season, while the Bearcats
slip to 7-14 overall. Senior Jim Bray played his best game of the
season, hitting back-to-back home runs, picking up three RBI's and
coming across home plate to score three runs.
The Bearcats got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of
the second inning, before tacking on another in the top of the
third. Sophomore Michael Ball pulled the Pioneers within one run in
the bottom of the third inning, grounding out to the short stop and
driving in Roland Greene.
Senior Jim Bray evened things up in the bottom of the fourth
inning, hammering his first home run of the game over the fence in
center field. A seven run fifth inning put the Pioneers well ahead
of the Bearcats, making the score 9-2.
The scoring began with an RBI single up the middle by junior
Giuseppe Baffaro, who drove in Greene, who led off the inning with
a double down the left field line. Baffaro was the next player to
come in, rounding the bases to score on a single by Ball. Tucker
Laurence laid down a good bunt moments later, reaching base and
allowing Ball to score. A double to center field by Nate Grisham
brought in two Pioneer runners, making the score 7-2. Bray ended
the scoring in the inning for the Pioneers, hitting his second home
run of the game, picking up Grisham along the way, to make the
score 9-2.
The Bearcats used the next three innings to chip away at the
Pioneer lead and open up the door for a comeback. One run in the
top of the sixth put the score at 9-3, before the Bearcats posted
three runs in the seventh. The Pioneers earned one of the runs back
in the bottom of the seventh, with Andrew Frisina coming around to
score on a double to right by Greene.
Down 10-6 heading into the eighth, the Bearcats put together an
offensive explosion that saw them score four runs to tie the game.
A double to center by Mitch Rowan brought in three Bearcat runners,
before he eventually came around to score on a Max Stepan single.
With the game now tied, the Pioneers kicked it into gear,
responding with five runs in the bottom half of the eighth to take
a 15-10 advantage. Parker Dane, Grisham, Bray, Zach Perez and
Frisina all came in to score in the inning.
Adam Rager closed things out for the Pioneers in the top of the
ninth inning, sitting the Bearcats down 1,2,3.
The Pioneers return to the field on April 10 when they head
McMinnville for a Northwest Conference match-up with the Linfield
Wildcats. The first game of the double-header is set for noon.
