Jim Bray
Assistant Baseball coach
FOREST GROVE – The Northwest
Conference opening weekend did not start out as planned for the
Lewis & Clark baseball team as they dropped two games to
Pacific University on Saturday 5-2, 7-6.
The Pioneers could not quite get what they needed offensively in
game 1 as Rob Dittrick of Pacific pitched a complete game,
allowing two runs on 12 hits with nine strikeouts to receive
the 5-2 victory. Eliot Smith pitched seven solid innings
allowing ten hits, three earned runs, while striking out
three, and receiving the loss.
The second game ended up being a thriller as the
Pioneers entered the ninth inning with a two run lead. However, the
Boxers came up with some timely hitting and with two outs Kevin
Schwartz hit a walk-off single to take the win 7-6. Jared Van Hoon
received the victory while Michael Ball got the loss.
The Pioneers were led by Giuseppe Baffaro and Ball who both had
four hits while Tucker Laurence and Baffaro both had two RBIs
on the day. The Boxers were led offensively by Schwartz who drove
in four runs in the two games, including the game winner in game
two.
The two teams will conclude their three-game series at Chuck
Bafaro Stadium on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for
noon.
