Whittier took a pair of 4-3 victories to sweep a doubleheader from host Pacific University on Friday in non-conference action at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
The Poets (9-8) withstood a pair of late rallies by the host Boxers to come away with the doubleheader sweep. In game one, Whittier got a ground out and back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth. In the night cap, they also escaped a late rally in the bottom of the 12
th inning, scooping up a line drive off the turf with the tying run at third and winning run at second.
In game one, in the bottom of the ninth, after a single by designated hitter
Drew Fagerness, Pacific left fielder
Hayden Wright hit his second home run of the season to cut the deficit to one, Whittier starting pitcher Alex Baez put the finishing touches on a complete game with a ground out and back-to-back strikeouts for the win.
The Poets (9-8) scored three times in the second inning for an early lead and held the advantage until Pacific got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. In the fifth, back-to-back doubles by
Hayden Wright and
Jacob Igawa plated the first run of the day for Pacific.
Whitter got what proved to be the winning run in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Nick Krska, who brought in Samsing, who doubled to start the inning. For Krska, it was his second hit of the game and Dane Goodman also had two hits to lead a Poets' squad that had eight hits in the win.
Hayden Wright led the Boxers with two of the six hits.
Baez finished the day, scattering six hits and striking out eight to raise his record to 4-2 for Whittier. Pacific starter
Casey Brown allowed seven hits and struck out six in the loss to fall to 4-1.
The nightcap saw the two teams combine for 22 hits, leave 28 runners on base and use seven-different pitchers before it was decided in the 12
th inning. An unearned run by the visiting Poets was the difference.
Von Ferguson and
Derek Legeza each had two hits to lead a 10-hit attack for the Boxers. Nick Kriska, Mason Blansett and Jacob Bauer each had two hits for the Poets.
The tough-luck loser for Pacific was
Bryce Wlodarchak, who pitched the final inning allowing just one hit in the loss to fall to 1-1. The Poets' Joey Hanley went the final two innings of scoreless relief to get his first win of the season to go to 1-0.
After allowing an unearned run in the top of the 12
th, Pacific managed to mount a threat in its half of the inning. With one out,
Dustin Meyer was hit by a pitch; then he moved into scoring position after a Poets' wild pitch. A ground out moved Meyer to third for the second out of the inning; then,
Dylan Morgan was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners.
Next, Morgan managed to move over to second on a stolen base with
Derek Ridgway at the plate. The Boxer senior managed a double-digit pitch at bat against Poets' reliever Joey Hanley. Ridgway took the at bat to a full count and foul off numerous pitches. The at bat ended with a line drive that was snagged at the shoelaces of the Poets' third baseman Alexander Jelloian to end the game.
The series will continue on Saturday with another doubleheader. First pitch at Chuck Bafaro Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.