PORTLAND, Ore. – After eight months of construction, Lewis & Clark College baseball played their first game on the new turf on Jerry Gatto Field at the Huston Sports Complex, falling to Northwest Conference rival Pacific University 18-3 in a non-conference contest,
THE BASICS
Pacific 18, Lewis & Clark 3
(Lewis & Clark 2-3-1)
(Pacific 3-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior
Justin Bailey hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to left field, in the fifth inning and scored a run in the eighth to lead the Pioneers against the Boxers.
Junior
Luke Ritter struck out the first Boxer batter and induced a fly out to first base to start the game. Pacific's CJ Colyer hit a two-out solo home run to left field and started a barrage of extra-base hits from the visitors over the next three hours.
The Boxers had seven extra-base hits in the game, including a second home run from Colyer, and scored multiple runs in the second, fifth, seventh, and ninth innings.
Bailey's home run in the bottom of the fifth inning scored senior
John Delaney with two outs and cut the Pioneers' deficit to 9-2. Bailey scored in the eighth inning when junior
Brennen Davis hit a grounded out to second with the bases loaded and one out.
Lewis & Clark's new home field is named after former baseball head coach Jerry Gatto (1981-2002) who led the Pioneers to three NWC Championships (1981, 1983, 1987), five NAIA District 2 Titles (1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990) and an NAIA Area I Championship and NAIA World Series Appearance in 1990. He was a five-time NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year and holds the most wins (395) in program history for a coach. Gatto also served as the Director of Athletics for a short period and the Director of Development for over a decade.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Shane Buchbiner closed out the game on the mound for the Pioneers; the freshman struck out a game-high four Boxers in 2.1 innings
- Freshman Dylan Lee and Gavin Mangano made their collegiate debut; Lee went 1-2 at the plate and had a putout and an assist, while Mangano was hit by a pitch in his lone plate appearance.
- Junior Will Heron finished with a team-high 13 putouts, including an unassisted double-play to end the third inning.
WHO'S NEXT
The Pioneers host Puget Sound in a non-conference doubleheader at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Jerry Gatto Field.