Box Score
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Pacific survived a spirited ninth inning rally by Whitman to complete a series sweep Sunday, as the Boxers beat the Missionaries 7-6 in Northwest Conference baseball action at Borleske Stadium.
The Boxers (19-11-1, 12-6 NWC) scored all of their runs in a three-run fourth and a four-run eighth as the team's seven runs were their most in a conference game since Mar. 19. The Missionaries (4-25, 3-15 NWC) came back against Pacific relievers to score five in the ninth before
Dan Wolfe (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.) entered to earn his second save of the series.
With the win and Puget Sound's 15-2 loss to George Fox, the Boxers moved into sole possession of second place in the conference, three games behind league leader Linfield (15-3).
Mike Nagamine (Jr., Aiea, Hawaii) led Pacific offensively, going 2 for 4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Five other Pacific batters finished with a hit apiece. Casey Minnick went 3 for 5 to lead Whitman.
After being turned away by Whitman starter Dakota Matherly in the first three innings, the Boxers came alive for three runs in the fourth.
Kevin Schwartz (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) led off with an infield single and proceeded to second on a throwing error.
Logan Moen (So., Brier, Wash.) followed with a ground-rule double to score the first run of the game.
Moen proceeded to third when catcher Jimmy Madden threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt, and Nagamine brought him home on a double down the right field line. Two batters late,
Trux French (So., Kennewick, Wash.) delivered a double down the left field line that gave the Boxers a 3-0 lead.
Whitman cut the deficit to 3-1 in the sixth when Aaron Cohen doubled with two outs and then scored on a sharply hit single by Kyle Moyes. The Boxers replied by scoring what proved to be four critical runs in the eighth. Nagamine scored a pair when his double into the left field corner plated Moen and
Michael Arakaki (So., Mililani, Hawaii). Rasmussen added a run with his double to the same spot and he made it a 7-1 Pacific lead when he was called home on a balk by Whitman reliever Sterling Spilinek.
Pacific went to the bullpen in the ninth after 8.1 strong innings by
Chad Fahey (So., Keizer, Ore.), but the Missionaries feasted on the relievers for a five-run rally that made it a game. Whitman loaded the bases with one out on three walks by Fahey and reliever
Brett Nakasone (So., Wahiawa, Hawaii), then proceeded to score four against Rasmussen. Erik Korsmo scored the first run with a single to left, and Cohen slammed a two-run single to left to cut the deficit to 7-5.
After Moyes hit a sacrifice fly to bring Whitman within one run, the Boxers called to Wolfe to close the game. He loaded the bases with a single and an error before coaxing Jay Richards into a ground out for his sixth save of the year.
Fahey improved to 4-2 on the season with the win. He allowed two runs on nine hits with four walks and a strikeout in his 8.1 innings. Matherly dropped to 0-2 with the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work.
Pacific complete the series sweep without the services of starting shortstop and reliever
Jared Van Hoon (Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore.), who stayed behind in Forest Grove due to illness. He is expected to be available this coming week.
The Boxers will complete the home portion of their 2011 schedule this weekend, hosting Whitworth for a three-game NWC series at Chuck Bafaro Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.
