The Pacific University baseball team split a doubleheader with Whitworth Saturday in Forest Grove, Oregon, falling in game one but taking the second on a walkoff hit from
Joey Galeno.
The Boxers (15-21, 9-14 Northwest Conference) won game two 6-5. In the top of the ninth, relief pitcher
Joey Angyus stranded a Whitworth runner at second base. Pacific right fielder
Dylan Wright then doubled down the right field line to lead off the home half of the frame. Galeno picked him up immediately, sending a pitch back up the middle and allowing Wright to speed home for the winning run.
Pacific never trailed during game two. The Boxers opened scoring in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from
Derek Ridgway. Ridgway drove in three runs during the contest, lifting another sacrifice in the third and unleashing an RBI double in the seventh.
The Boxers took a 5-1 lead into the eighth inning, but Whitworth scored four in the frame to tie the game and chase starter
Casey Brown. Brown allowed four runs in 7.0 innings of work while striking out five Pirate batters Saturday.
Angyus picked up the win, his first of the year, after pitching the final two innings. The Pirates' Jake Briones took the loss.
Whitworth (15-19, 10-13 NWC) took game one by a 7-0 tally on the strength of a complete game from starter Hugh Smith. Smith scattered seven hits during the win, his sixth of the season.
The visitors led by two after three innings but broke the game open in the fourth. They scored four times during that frame, two of which came on an RBI double from Joel Condreay. Condreay led all players with three RBIs during the initial bout.
Derek Legeza and
Trevor Quinn each tallied two hits for Pacific in the opening game. Galeno added a double and a walk and ended the day with a total of four hits, more than any other Boxer.
Pacific and Whitworth will decide the NWC-ending series on Sunday, April 15, with a 12:00 contest at Chuck Bafaro Stadium in Forest Grove. Prior to first pitch, 14 Pacific seniors will be honored as the game will mark their final one at home in a Boxer uniform.