Three Pins Helps Men's Wrestling Take Exciting Match From Eagles

Three Pins Helps Men's Wrestling Take Exciting Match From Eagles

Bookmark and Share

FOREST GROVE – Pacific matched Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) point-for-point Friday night before pulling ahead in the final two matches to score a hard-fought 30-21 victory over the Eagles in men's wrestling action at the Stoller Center.
 
The two teams combined for six pins in the high-energy dual as they matched each other over the course of the first eight duals. It wasn't until Chris Harlin (Sr., Issaquah, Wash.) scored a close 9-7 decision over Troy Kilgore at 197 pounds that the Boxers secured the victory, which was further padded by a forfeit at heavyweight.
 
Eric Harder (Jr., Bethesda, Md.), Bruce Balcita (Sr., Myrtle Creek, Ore.) and Caleb Malychewski (Sr., Camas, Wash.) had the three Pacific pins while Ryan Baxter (Jr., Craig, Alaska) narrowly missed bonus points with an 8-1 decision over Robby Workman at 149 pounds.
 
Embry-Riddle opened the night with the first of the six pins as Gilbert Martinez went three round to fall Lucas Beltz (Fr., Wilmot, N.H.) at 125 pounds.  Harder worked for his pin throughout the first two rounds before finally pulling Nick Oliver down midway through the third period.  It was Harder's team-leading eighth pin of the season and improved the junior to 17-3 on the year.
 
Trace Gutknecht fell just short of a major decision at 141 pounds, beating Jeremiah Baker (Fr., Portland, Ore.) 11-4.  Baxter just missed a pin in his 149-pound match, dominating Robby Workman in the first round to pull ahead 7-1.  Workman would not get pulled to his back again and scored an escape as time expired in the third period to prevent bonus points as Baxter won 8-1.  Baxter improved to 15-6 on the year.
 
Colin Murphy Merkley provided Embry-Riddle's second pin of the night, needing less than two minutes to stop Carson French (Fr., Albany, Ore.) at 157 pounds.  Balcita needed even less time to earn his third pin of the season at 165 pounds, stopping Matt Coultas at the 1:10 mark of the first round.
 
Jose Cruz gave the Eagles a 21-15 lead with his second round pin of Michael Tyner (Jr., Aloha, Ore.) in the 174-pound bout, but Malychewski answered back with a first round pin of John Wiley at 184 pounds.  Malychewski improved to 17-2 on the season with his sixth pin and improved to an unblemished 10-0 record in duals.
 
Harlin opened the 197-pound bout strong, holding Kilgore scoreless while earning critical back-points for a 5-0 first round lead.  Kilgore came to life to score three takedowns in the final two rounds, but a series of three escape points in the third proved the difference in a 9-7 decision that secured the team win for the Boxers.
 
Pacific improved to 5-5 on the season in dual matches.  The Boxers return to action on Sunday at the Clackamas Open at Clackamas CC in Oregon City.
 
PACIFIC 30, EMBRY-RIDDLE (ARIZ.) 21
125: Gilbert Martinez (ERAU) win by fall over Lucas Beltz (PAC), 5:49 (6-0 ERAU)
133: Eric Harder (PAC) win by fall over Nick Oliver (ERAU), 6:19 (6-6 Tie)
141: Trace Gutknecht (ERAU) dec. Jeremiah Baker (PAC), 11-4 (9-6 ERAU)
149: Ryan Baxter (PAC) dec. Robby Workman (ERAU), 8-1 (9-9 Tie)
157: Colin Murphy Merkley (ERAU) win by fall over Carson French (PAC), 1:50 (15-9 ERAU)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) win by fall over Matt Coultas (ERAU), 1:10 (15-15 Tie)
174: Jose Cruz (ERAU) win by fall over Michael Tyner (PAC), 3:32 (21-15 ERAU)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) win by fall over Jon Wiley (ERAU), 1:25 (21-21 Tie)
197: Chris Harlin (PAC) dec. Troy Kilgore (ERAU), 9-7 (24-21 PAC)
285: Jacob Richards (PAC) win by forfeit (30-21 PAC)
Print Friendly Version