Duerr Does It All As Boxers Beat Missionaries
Box ScoreFOREST GROVE –
Ben Duerr's (So., Lebanon, Ore.) two hits and two RBIs, one on a bases loaded sacrifice bunt, allowed Pacific to prevent the series sweep Sunday as the Boxers scored a 5-3 victory over Whitman in Northwest Conference baseball action at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
With the Boxers tied 2-2 in the fifth, Duerr drove in the go-ahead with a single to right field to scored
Justin Strayer (So., Ventura, Calif.). In the seventh, Duerr laid down a bases loaded bunt that dribbled towards the pitcher's mound, allowing
Donnie Bradley (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) to tally an insurance run.
Duerr finished the day 2 for 3 with two RBIs while Bradley went 2 for 5 with a run to lead the Boxers offensively.
With the win, Pacific (9-16, 3-12 NWC) snapped five-game losing streak end as well as a seven-game skid in NWC games. Whitman saw it's seven-game win streak come to an end as they fell to 15-14-1, 4-11 NWC.
Much as they did in the first two games, however, the Missionaries made the Boxers pay for an error with two runs in the second. After Aaron Cohen led off with a single, Cameron Young walked and both runners moved up when the throw to pick Cohen off second went high. Both runs scored by way of ground outs.
Pacific tied the game in the fourth.
Nathan Suyematsu (So., Tualatin, Ore.) led off with a single and Strayer reached on an error. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch before
Colin McCusker's (So., Olympia, Wash.) sacrifice fly scored Suyematsu. Duerr then laid down a bunt single to advance McCusker to third and scored on an ensuing error.
The Boxers took the lead for good in the fifth in a two-out rally. Strayer and McCusker drew walks and Strayer scored on Duerr's single to right. McCusker then scored on a failed pickoff attempt of Duerr at first.
Whitman added one run in the sixth as Young led off with a single and scored on MacLean Harned's double. Bradley provided for the Boxers' run in the seventh as he scored on Duerr's bases loaded bunt.
Suyematsu earned the win in his first pitching start of the season, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.
Topher Mood (Sr., St. Helens, Ore.) earned the save as he allowed one hit in the ninth.
Cohen fell to 2-4 on the season, allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts in five innings. He also led Whitman at the plate, going 2 for 4.
Pacific returns to the home field on Tuesday, hosting Willamette for a non-conference tilt at 5 p.m. A live video webcast of the game will be available at GoBoxers.com. Whitman is at home next weekend for a three-game series against Willamette.
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