Two Different Games, Two Outcomes As Boxers & Lutes Split
Game 1 Box Score |
Game 2 Box Score |
Video Highlights
FOREST GROVE – Pacific and Pacific Lutheran opened their final Northwest Conference baseball series of the season with a pair of polar opposite games Saturday with the Boxers and Lutes splitting the twinbill at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
Starters
Rob Dittrick (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) and Max Beatty put together a brilliant pitcher's duel in the opener with both pitchers allowing just five hits apiece. The Lutes used back-to-back two out doubles in the fourth to score the game's only run as the Lutes prevailed 1-0.
In the nightcap, Pacific took a 6-2 lead into the top of the ninth, but PLU rallied to score four runs in the frame to send the contest into extra innings. The Boxers, however, won it in the most unusual of ways as
Trux French (Sr., Kennewick, Wash.) took a bases loaded hit by pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 10th to take the 7-6 victory.
Michael Arakaki (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) once again had an outstanding afternoon at the plate, going 4 for 8 with two runs scored, including the winning run in the nightcap.
Pacific improved to 15-22, 11-12 NWC, while Pacific Lutheran improved to 22-14, 12-11 NWC.
GAME 1: PACIFIC LUTHERAN 1, PACIFIC 0
Pacific had a chance to score early in the first game as
Charlie Gaff (Fr., Stockton, Calif.) led off with a single and advanced to third on Arakaki's double to right. Beatty then proceeded to get the next two Boxers' batter to strike out looking before coaxing
Nick Tasaka (Sr., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii) into a fly out to end the threat.
Dittrick had two outs in the top of the fourth when Drew Oord popped a double down the left field line. Carson McCord followed by turning a one ball, two strike pitch into a double to left that scored what became the winning run.
Pacific put together a two-out threat in the bottom of the seventh. Tasaka started it with a bloop single to right and advanced to third when French singled and advanced to second on an error.
Donnie Bradley (So., Beaverton, Ore.) then grounded out to first to retire the side.
Dittrick took the hard luck loss for the Boxers in his final home game, dropping to 3-5 on the season. He allowed one run on five hits and struck out three. Beatty improved to 7-4 on the year by allowing just five hits while striking out 12. McCord led the Lutes by going 2 for 3, while Arakaki led the Boxers with a 2 for 4 game.
GAME 2: PACIFIC 7, PACIFIC LUTHERAN 6 (10 INNINGS)
The nightcap was shaping up to be another pitcher's duel until the Lutes opened up a two-run third inning. Clay Trishinsky led off with a walk, advanced to second on a error and went to third on Garrett Brown's sacrifice bunt. Jacob Olsufka followed with a single to right to score Trushinsky.
Olsufka then stole second, and the throw went into center field to allow Daniel Altchech to score from third. The contest would then be delayed for 40 minutes as Olsufka suffered an apparent elbow injury while completing the steal that required medical attention. He would not return to the game.
Pacific halved the PLU lead in the fourth when Tasaka scored on a bases loaded walk issued to
Dan Jaffe (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.). The Boxers then looked to close the door on the Lutes with three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. Gaff opened the seventh inning rally with a one out walk and Arakaki followed with a single to left center field. Gaff then stole third and scored on a wild pitch.
Walker Olis (Fr., Burlington, Wash.) walked and both he and Arakaki advanced 90 feet on a passed ball. That set the table for French to single to right, scoring both runners for a 4-2 lead.
Bradley started the two-run eighth with a single to center field and Jaffe walked. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Bradley scored on a well executed squeeze bunt by Gaff. Olis followed two batters later with a single to rightthat scored Jaffe.
The Lutes, however, were not done as they sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the ninth. Brown reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on Nicholas Hall's single and went to third on a Cory Nelson's fielder's choice. Curtis Wildung walked to load the bases and Brown scored the frame's first run on a wild pitch. Oord followed with a single to right that scored Nelson and McCord scored a pair to tie the game with his long single to right.
Pacific went down quietly in the ninth, PLU did the same in the 10th and the Boxers appeared to be headed that way in the bottom of the 10th as reliever Jake Otness proceeded to strike out the first two Pacific batters. Otness then hit Arakaki with a pitch, Olis singled to send Arakaki and Tasaka loaded the bases with a walk. Otness had one ball, one strike on French when he hit him with a pitch, bring home Arakaki for the winning run.
Jimmy Brakebush (Fr., Portland, Ore.) earned his second win of the week, retiring the side in the 10th. Starter
Nick Morton (Fr., Burbank, Calif.) was great in a no decision, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 7.1 innings. Otness took the loss, dropping to 1-2 on the season. He allowed one run on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts in 1.2 innings.
The two teams will complete their three-game series on Sunday at Chuck Bafaro Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for noon. Pacific will recognize it's seven seniors in a pregame ceremony, which will start at 11:45 a.m. The game will be aired via live video stream at GoBoxers.com.
BOXER BYTES: A new custom-built bench in the Pacific dugout was dedicated prior to the doubleheader in memory of Pacific Hall of Fame baseball player Leon Meade. A 1967 and 1968 First Team All-Northwest Conference selection and member of the Boxers' 1968 NWC championships team, Mr. Meade passed away in Feb. 2011.
