Pacific University Athletics

Baseball Weekly Notebook

4/29/2013 11:17:00 AM

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THIS WEEK IN PACIFIC BASEBALL
PACIFIC VS. WHITMAN
Game No. 39/Neutral Site Game No. 2
Sat., May 4, 1:30 p.m., Logger Baseball Field, Tacoma, Wash.

PACIFIC AT PUGET SOUND
Game No. 40/Away Game No. 24
Sat., May 4, 4 p.m., Logger Baseball Field, Tacoma, Wash.

SEASON COMES TO AN END WITH TWINBILL IN TACOMA
After taking two of three games with Pacific Lutheran to secure a fourth place tie in the Northwest Conference standings, the Pacific baseball team will conclude the 2013 season with two non-conference games in Tacoma, Wash., against NWC teams.  The Boxers will take on Whitman early on Saturday afternoon before closing the year against host Puget Sound.

BOXER BYTES
• Rob Dittrick allowed one run on five hits in his fourth complete game performance of the season, but Max Beatty one-upped the senior by allowing no runs as the Boxers fell 1-0 in Saturday's opener to PLU.

• Pacific saw a 6-2 lead slip away in the ninth inning on Saturday's nightcap as the Lutes scored four runs to force extra innings.  Bu the Boxers scored the winning run in the 10th when Trux French was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the 7-6 victory.  Walker Olis led Pacific by going 3 for 5.

• Michael Arakaki put on a hitting clinic in the 2013 home finale on Sunday, going 4 for 5 with two triples, two RBIs and a run as the Boxers rolled to a 5-1 victory over PLU.  Matt Delegato threw his fifth complete game and won his eighth game in a row.

• Michael Arakaki made the most of his final home series, hitting for a .615 average in the three-game PLU series, going 8 for 13 with one double, two triples, three runs and two RBIs.  In the process, the starting infielder took the team lead offensively with a .353 batting average.  In his last six games, Arakaki is hitting .600 (15 for 25).

• Matt Delegato continued his senior year tear, improving to 8-1 on the season with his fifth complete game win of the year over Pacific Lutheran.  Delegato is now tied with Rob Dittrick (2011 & 2012) and Larry Lund (1968) for the second most wins in a season in school history.  Delegato also lowered his earned run average to 1.66.

• Rob Dittrick took the hard luck loss against Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, but continued to see his statistical numbers drop.  With his one run allowed on five hits in the opener, Dittrick lowered his earned run average to 2.24.  His 80.1 innings pitched are the third most in a season in program history (he owns the record at 87.2 innings).

• With their tie for fourth place, Pacific finished in the top-four of the NWC standings for the third consecutive year and the fourth time in the last five years.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
WHITMAN
The Missionaries closed out the NWC season tied for seventh with Whitworth at 8-16 and their 15-21 record marked the program's most wins since making the move to NCAA Division III for the 1999 season.  Over the weekend, Whitman dropped two of three games to eastern Washington rival Whitworth.  The Pirates swept both ends of Sautrday's doubleheader 8-3 and 13-9.  In the opener, Whitworth came back from a 3-0 deficit to score four runs in the sixth and three in the ninth to secure the win.  Cameron Young went 3 for 4 to lead the Missionaries.  Five errors between the two sides helped make the nightcap a high scoring one.  Whitworth secured the win with a six-run fifth inning, while the Missionaries came back with a five-run eighth.  Aaron Cohen led the way with a 3 for 4 performance, which included two RBIs.  Whitman closed out the series with a 9-0 win on Sunday.  Starting pitcher Justin Weeks allowed just five hits over eight innings for the win, while Kyle Buckham went 3 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the way at the plate.  Young leads Whitman at the plate with a .387 average with 43 hits, 20 runs, five doubles, four triples, two home runs and 16 RBIs.  Starting pitcher Spencer Hobson leads the staff with a 2.26 earned run average, allowing 22 runs in 55.2 innings.  As a team, Whitman has compiled a .363 batting average and a 4.41 earned run average.  Sean Kinney, a former Whitman player, is in his first season as the program's head coach.

AGAINST BRADLEY: Pacific leads 40-12
LAST MEETING: Pacific won 11-1 in Walla Walla, Wash., on Apr. 7, 2013

PUGET SOUND
The Loggers closed the conference schedule by placing sixth in the NWC at 11-13 and enter the week at 16-22 overall.  Puget Sound finished the schedule by dropping two of three games at Willamette.  The Bearcats took Saturday's single game by a 12-5 score, doing most of their damage with a six-run fifth inning.  JB Eary led the Loggers by going 2 for 5.  In Sunday's opener, Puget Sound rallied from a five-run deficit to score three in the top of the ninth, but fell just short in a 6-4 loss.  Five Puget Sound players each had three hits while starting pitcher Steve Wagar allowed three earned runs and struck out five in 7.2 innings.  The Loggers finally broke through in the nightcap, breaking out the bats for a 15-3 victory.  Puget Sound poked out 20 hits, scoring five runs in the third and six in the ninth and had seven extra base hits.  Connor Savage went 4 for 6 with three runs, two RBIs and a pair of doubles.  Lucas Stone leads the Puget Sound offense with a .349 batting average, including 45 hits, 16 runs, 12 doubles and 14 RBIs.  Starting pitcher Matt Robinson enters the week with a 6-5 record and team-leading 1.53 earned run average, allowing 28 runs (13 earned) in 76.2 innings.  As a team, Puget Sound is hitting .271 and owns a 4.14 earned run average.  Brian Billings is in his 11th year as Puget Sound head coach.

AGAINST BRADLEY: Pacific leads 36-21
LAST MEETING: Pacific won 10-0 in Tacoma, Wash., on Apr. 21, 2013

PACIFIC NEWS & NOTES
FINISHING OFF WITH A HOT BAT: Michael Arakaki (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) made sure that Pacific fans will remember him long after he has graduated thanks to a superb hitting performance in the Pacific Lutheran series.  Arakaki finished the three-game series with a .615 average, going 8 for 13 with a double, two triples, three runs scored and two RBIs.  While he finished with two more hits in all three games, it was his Sunday game against the Lutes that provided the punctuation point.  Arakaki went 4 for 5 with two triples, two RBIs and a run.  He tripled with one out in the third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Tasaka (Sr., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii), singled to score Dan Jaffe (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) in the sixth and then tripled in the eighth score Ben Duerr (Fr., Lebanon, Ore.).  Arakaki enters the final week of the season with a team-leading .353 batting average and 42 hits.  He is tied for sixth in the NWC with his two triples, ranks sixth with nine times hit by pitch and is ninth with 98 assists.  For the month of April, Arakaki finished with an impressive .521 batting average with 25 hits, nine runs and six RBIs in 13 games.

DELEGATO DOES IT AGAIN: It became a joke on Twitter between Pacific team members, “Insert line here about Matt Delegato (Sr., Hillsboro, Ore.) throwing another gem.”  For lack of a better phrase, Delegato threw yet another gem to go out a winner on senior day.  Delegato threw his fifth complete game of the season, allowing one run on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts to take the 5-1 victory over the Pacific Lutheran.  The win improved Delegato to 8-1 on the season and it was his eighth straight victory.  The eight wins ties the senior for No. 2 on Pacific's single season with list with teammate Rob Dittrick (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii), who won eight in both 2011 and 2012, and Larry Lund in 1968.  If he were not to throw another pitch, Delegato would finish sixth on the Pacific single season list with his 1.66 earned run average.  Delegato enters the week tied for second in the NWC with five complete games, tied for third with his eight wins and fourth in eanred run average.  In addition, Delegato ranks ninth in the NWC with 76 innings pitched.  In the Apr. 23 NCAA Division III statistics report (through games of Apr. 21), Delegato ranked 13th with seven wins, 43rd with four complete games and 81st with a 1.75 earned run average.

FINISHING UP STRONG: While his final home game ended in a hard luck loss, Rob Dittrick made sure to close out his Chuck Bafaro Stadium career with a strong effort.  Dittrick went the distance in a 1-0 loss to Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, allowing the one run on five hits and no walks while stirking out three.  The one run was scored in the top of the fourth when Drew Oord doubled with two outs and came home on a double by Carson McCord.  Dittrick, a First Team All-NWC selection as a starting pitcher in both 2011 and 2012, enters the final week of the season with 3-5 record and a 2.24 earned run average.  In 80.1 innings, he has allowed 29 runs, 20 earned, on 82 hits with 40 strikeouts.  He enters the week ranked fourth in the NWC innings pitched, tied for fourth with four complete games, sixth in earned run average and tied for 10th with his 11 starts this season.  In the Apr. 23 NCAA Statistics report, Dittrick ranked 15th nationally with 0.76 walks allowed per nine innings, 44th with a strikeout to walk ratio of 6.17 and 100th with nine starts.

WINNING IN A MOST UNCOVENTIONAL WAY: Winning by being hit a pitch is not the most glamorous way to win a game, but Trux French (Sr., Kennewick, Wash.) will take it.  The first baseman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, pushing across the winning win for the Boxers' 7-6 victory.  It proved to be the fourth batter that was hit by a pitch in the game.  Pacific enters the week ranked third in the NWC in batters hit by pitch.  Individually, Michael Arakaki ranks sixth in the NWC with nine times hit and Nick Tasaka ranks fifth with 10 times hit.  In the Apr. 23 NCAA Division III statistics report, the Boxers ranked 62nd in batters hit by pitch with 44.

A COMBINED ONE HIT EFFORT: Pacific saved their starters for the upcoming weekend in Tuesday's non-conference game at Concordia (Ore.), which allowed four bullpen guys to step up big with a combined one-hitter to beat the Cavaliers 3-1.  Jimmy Brakebush (Fr., Portland, Ore.) led the way with an outstanding performance in his second collegiate start, allowing just one run on one hits, walking three and striking out four in six innings.  Levi Peterson (So., Denver, Colo.), Topher Mood (Jr., St. Helens, Ore.) and Craig Nesselhuf (Fr., Littleton, Colo.) followed to keep the Cavaliers hitless over the final three innings, with Nesselhuf earning his second save of the season.  Brakebush went on to win two games last week as he retired the side in the 10th inning in the Boxers' 7-6 win over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday.

GIVING IT UP: A regular part of Pacific's style of play for a number of years, the Boxers continue to be among the best for sacrifice hits and sacrifice flies.  Pacific enters the week ranked first in the NWC with seven sacrifice flies and second with 46 sacrifice hits.  In the Apr. 23 NCAA Division III statistics report (though games played by Apr. 21), the Boxers ranked 10th as a team with 41 sacrifice bunts.  Individually, catcher Dan Jaffe is tied for second in the NWC with nine sacrifice hits.  He ranked 11th in last week's NCAA Division III report with nine sacrifice bunts and 15th with 0.31 sacrifice bunts per game.

PACIFIC IN DIVISION III RANKINGS: In other Pacific rankings in the latest NCAA Division III statistical report of Apr. 23 (for games played through Apr. 21), the Boxers ranked 12th in walks allowed per nine innings (2.37), 70th in earned run average (3.50), 78th in fielding percentage (.960) and 100th in strikeout to walk ratio (2.03).  The NCAA Division III statistical rankings are released weekly on Tuesdays and can be found at http://bit.ly/hl0JH7.

PACIFIC DUGOUT BENCH DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF MEADE: In a pregame ceremony prior to Saturday's doubleheader with Pacific Lutheran, a custom built bench in Pacific's third base dugout was dedicated to the memory of Pacific Athletic Hall of Famer Leon Meade.  Mr. Meade passed away in 2011.  He was a two-time First Team All-Northwest Conference selection as a second baseman, a member of the Boxers' 1968 NWC championship team and was a 1967 NAIA All-District II Team selection.  Mr. Meade's wife, Gail, was in attendance for the dedication ceremony as were other members of his family, siblings and former teammates.

GREG BRADLEY GETS WIN NO. 300: Pacific Head Coach Greg Bradley reached a milestone on Sat., Mar. 16, becoming just the second coach in program history to amass 300 wins.  The Boxers gave their skipper No. 300 in explosive style, beating Lewis & Clark 19-3.  The winningest active coach in Northwest Conference baseball enters the week with a 312-351-2 record.  Bradley is in his 18th season as Pacific head coach, having taken over the program for the 1996 season.  Prior to that, Bradley served two seasons as an assistant coached under the winningest coach in program history, Hall of Famer Chuck Bafaro.  In his tenure, Bradley has led the Boxers to 20-win seasons six times, topped by his 2012 NWC championship squad.  In addition to his head coaching duties, Bradley also works as Pacific's athletic facilities manager.

DELEGATO EARNS CONFERENCE, NATIONAL RECOGNITION: Matt Delegato's complete game shutout of Puget Sound on Apr. 21 earned the senior hurler selection as the Northwest Conference's Baseball Pitcher Student-Athlete of the Week and selection to the D3Baseball.com Team of the Week.  Delegato was impressive in the performance, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out six.  He retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed just two runners past first base.

OLIS EARNS NWC WEEKLY HONORS: Walker Olis' offensive performance in the Mar. 16-17 Lewis & Clark earned the freshman selection as the Northwest Conference's Baseball Student-Athlete of the Week.  Olis led Pacific offensively in the series, going 6 for 10 with a pair of doubles, a home run, three runs scored six RBIs. Olis opened the series by going 2 for 2 with two RBIs and two runs in the Saturday 19-3 rout of the Pioneers.  He had one hit in the rain-interrupted second game of the series and then punctuated his week by going 3 for 5 with four RBIs and a three-run homer in Sunday's 5-1 victory.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Chuck Bafaro Stadium continues to be friendly confines for Pacific baseball.  Pacific enters the week with a 32-13 record on their home field since 2010 (a .711 win percentage) and is 7-7 at home in 2013.  Chuck Bafaro Stadium indeed yielded a home field advantage in the 2012 championship season as they went 15-3 at home.  It helped that Pacific played all of their March games at home, which included five contests moved to Forest Grove due to unplayable field conditions.  The schedule has been less bountiful for the Boxers with a total of 14 home games on the docket.

PACIFIC PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON POLL: Just as they were before their 2012 championship run, Pacific is picked to finish fifth in the NWC according to the annual poll of the league's coaches conducted in January.  Pacific received 40 of a possible 80 votes, landing one points behind George Fox and 11 points behind Linfield (who clinched the NWC title last weekend).  Whitworth, the co-NWC champion with Pacific that also won the NCAA West Region title, was picked to repeat with a total of 68 points, including six first place votes.  Pacific Lutheran was picked second with 59 points, which included the other three first place votes.  Puget Sound and Willamette were picked sixth with 25 points apiece while Whitman and Lewis & Clark were picked eighth with 15 points apiece.