MCMINNVILLE, Ore.—Despite a strong performance from the team's bullpen, Lewis & Clark College baseball could not overcome an early deficit, in a 9-4 non-conference loss to Linfield University on Wednesday night. 

THE BASICS
 
Linfield 9, Lewis & Clark 4
(Lewis & Clark 12-13) 
(Linfield 15-11) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Linfield struck for seven runs in the first inning and led 9-0 after two, before Lewis & Clark's bullpen shut down the hosts over the final seven innings. 
 
Seven Pioneers relievers combined to hold Linfield to two runs (one earned) over seven innings. The team's final six relievers allowed just three walks and three hits over the final seven frames and added eight strikeouts. 
 
First year Dillon Foster threw a team-high two innings and allowed one walk and struck out one. First year Sam Burchi added three strikeouts and two walks in a single inning. First year Matt Stanislavsky threw the lone 1-2-3 inning of the day for Lewis & Clark. Sophomores Connor Broschard, Bret Potter (two strikeouts) and Shane Buchbinder (two strikeouts) threw the final three innings. 
 
Junior Brandon Gonzaga and senior Will Heron combined for the Pioneers four hits in the contest. Gonzaga belted his first home run of the season and added a single and a stolen base. Heron finished 2-2 with a double, a run scored and a hit by pitch. 
 
Linfield grabbed a commanding lead after the first inning. They used five hits and two hit by pitches to score seven runs off of starting pitcher Justin Frohn. Josh Mansour provided the big hit in the inning with a bases-clearing triple to make it 5-0. 
 
The Wildcats added two more runs against first year reliever Logan Stevenson in the second. Foster came on with the bases loaded and two runs already in. He struck out the first batter he faced and then induced a 5-3 double play to get out of the jam. 
 
Gonzaga put the Pioneers on the board in the top of the third inning when Gonzaga crushed a home run over the left-field fence with two down. 
 
Linfield put the leadoff batter on in the third, before Lewis & Clark turned their second double play in as many innings to clear the bases. 
 
Lewis & Clark scored their final three runs in the seventh inning thanks to a patient approach. Heron led off the inning with a hit by pitch and Justin Cavagnaro and Evyn Lewis followed with walks. After a pitching change, Will Michelman drove in Heron with an RBI groundout. Cavagnaro raced home on a passed ball and Lewis came in on a Potter RBI groundout. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Gonzaga's home run was the second of his career and first since he hit a two-run homer against George Fox on April 15, 2023. 
• Lewis & Clark's defense came up with several huge plays behind their pitching staff. The Pioneers turned two double plays, first year Jacob Shannon-Wilkerson posted an outfield assist and Cavagnaro threw out a runner trying to steal second base. 
• Michelman made his second collegiate start as an infielder on Wednesday. He started at third base and the team's everyday third baseman Michael Aikawa started at second. Michelman has made 11 starts this year with eight in left field, two at third base and one as the designated hitter. 
• Potter has allowed one run in four innings (five appearances) this season.

WHO'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will return to Northwest Conference play, when they travel to take on George Fox University this weekend. The series will start at Noon on Saturday.