Mid Valley Reporter

Willamette Downs Pirates 3-2 in 10 Innings; Bearcats Win 16-7 in Game 2

Willamette University rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Whitworth University 3-2 in 10 innings during the first game of a Northwest Conference doubleheader at John Lewis Field on Sunday, March 26. The winning run was scored by Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) on a bases-loaded balk.

In the second game, Willamette trailed 3-0 in the middle of the first inning, but the Bearcats scored five runs in the bottom of the inning and maintained the lead. Willamette owned a slim 8-7 edge after 4 1/2 innings before the Bearcats gradually pulled away. Willamette advanced its record to 14-7 on the season and to 9-5 in the NWC. Whitworth dropped to 6-16, 3-8 in the NWC.

Logan Haslam (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) improved to 2-0 with the win in the first game. He pitched the eighth, ninth, and 10th innings while allowing no runs and three hits. He struck out four batters and walked two. Willamette starter Layton Wagner (Sr., RHP/INF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) struck out nine batters and gave up just two runs the first seven innings.

Pruitt Spritzer (Sr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep), who entered the second game with two outs in the second stanza, pitched 3 1/3 innings and earned the win. He upped his record to 5-0. Five Bearcat pitchers combined for the victory.

Bearcats Rally in First Game as Fischel Hits a Homer

Willamette fell behind 2-0 in the third inning of the first game, but Ethan Fischel (Grad., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) eventually provided both RBIs to tie the score. He hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, then belted an RBI single in the eighth inning.

The Pirates scored both of their runs in the top of the third. Hunter Dryden hit an RBI double and Austin Paul hit an RBI single.

Whitworth starter Giovanni Costello limited Willamette to two hits -- Fischel's home run in the fourth and a single by Drew Baskin (So., 2B, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS) in the sixth -- before leaving the game at the start of the seventh. Hunter Williams gave up five hits while pitching the final 3 1/3 innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Baskin walked and stole second. He went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lawson. Fischel singled up the middle to send Baskin across the plate.

Haslam got out of a jam in the top of the ninth, when Whitworth had runners at first and third with two outs. Elijah Tanner grounded out to third base to end the inning.

Willamette in the ninth and Whitworth in the 10th were unable to get a runner on base. In the bottom of the 10th, Baskin fouled out before Lawson blasted a double to right center. Fischel was intentionally walked and Hoffman loaded the bases with a single to center. Jonny Suchor (Sr., OF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) was batting when a balk was called on Williams and the runners advanced, with Lawson scoring the winning run.

Hoffman is 4 for 5 with Two Doubles, Two Singles in Game 2

Hoffman and Suchor combined for six runs, seven hits, and seven RBIs in the second game. Hoffman was 4 for 5 with two doubles, three runs scored, and three RBIs. Suchor finished 3 of 5 with a double, three runs, and four RBIs. Fischel went 2 of 4 and hit a double, while scoring twice and earning one RBI.

The first inning featured eight runs, as the Pirates scored three times and the Bearcats responded with five runs. For Whitworth, the second and third runs were scored on a homer by Aidan Morrison. For the Bearcats, Hoffman drove in the first two runs with a double and Suchor brought in the next two runs with a single. Suchor later scored on a double-steal.

Whitworth cut Willamette's lead to 5-4 with a run in the second inning, but the Bearcats increased the margin with two runs in the third. Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) hit an RBI single for Willamette and Ethan Dunnam (Sr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) recorded an RBI on a bases-loaded walk.

After the Bearcats took an 8-4 lead by plating a run in the fourth, Whitworth scored three times in the fifth. The Bearcats added a run on a sacrifice fly by Hoffman in the bottom of the fifth and scored once in the sixth on a single by Dunnam. Willamette solidified the win with three runs in the seventh and three runs in the eighth. During the eighth inning, Hoffman hit a double and Suchor blasted a two-run double.

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