FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific shutout Whitman while scoring 14 runs in the series opener, but the visitors would turn the tables on the Boxers in the second half of the doubleheader, taking game two 11-2 to even the series.
The Boxers (13-8, 8-6 NWC) exploded for 11 hits in the first game of the series while holding Whitman scoreless for all nine innings.
Will Clark (Junior/Boise, ID) put together a brilliant outing to earn his third win of the season. The Pacific southpaw threw five scoreless innings while surrendering just five hits and striking out six batters.
Ryan Krout (Senior/Washougal, WA) provided some power in the middle of the order, going 4-for-7 on the day with two doubles and five RBI.
Tyler Quinn (Junior/Mililani, HI) would also mash a pair of doubles while racking up three hits over the two contests.
Game 1
Clark toed the rubber to start the series opener and picked up two strikeouts in the top of the first.
Cole Strober (Senior/Pacific City, OR) made an excellent diving catch to save a run in the top half of the inning and led off the home half with a solid line drive to left field for a base hit.
Ty Yukumoto (Freshman/Waipahu, HI) followed with a walk and Strober managed to beat the throw on a Krout groundball to third base to score the first run of the game.
Isaac Lovings (Senior/Beaverton, OR) continued to swing a hot bat with a two-RBI single to put the Boxers up by three runs at the end of the first frame.
Clark navigated his way out of a bases-loaded jam in his next inning of work and Pacific doubled their lead in its next turn at the plate.
Andrew Thomas (Senior/Escondido, CA) laced a single up the middle to lead things off before
Brad Altomare (Senior/San Ramon, CA) worked a walk. Thomas came home to score on a Quinn groundout and Krout provided the big swing when he smashed a double in the left-center gap to plate two more runs, making the score 6-0.
A five-run fifth inning extended the Pacific lead to 11-0. Hits from Quinn, Krout, and Altomare sparked the rally as they knocked Whitman starting pitcher Dexter Aichele out of the game.
After an outstanding outing from Clark, who tossed five scoreless innings, he would hand the ball over to
Sage Dunaway (Junior/Sherwood, OR) to start the sixth inning. The left hander surrendered two hits before getting through the inning unscathed.
The Boxers pushed three runs across in the bottom half of the seventh to extend the lead to 14-0.
Davis Koester (Sophomore/Trout Lake, WA),
Nick Bentsen (Senior/Bellevue, WA), and
Hunter Edwards (Freshman/Palmdale, CA) combined to pitch the final three innings, keeping the Blues off the board to take game one.
Edwards made his first career appearances and impressed with two strikeouts in his scoreless frame.
Game 2
Pacific never found their rhythm in the second half of the doubleheader, as the visitors posted four runs in the second inning to take a commanding lead. Krout would score after his leadoff double in the home half, but the Boxers would not muster another hit until the fifth.
Kahi Bisho (Senior/Honolulu, HI) allowed four runs in his three innings, but only one run would be earned as some defensive mishaps plagued Pacific early in the contest.
One run in the fourth, two runs in the sixth, and four runs in the eighth would give Whitman a 10-run advantage. The Blues would snatch game two, setting up for an exciting rubber match tomorrow afternoon.
Up Next
The Boxers are back at Chuck Bafaro Stadium tomorrow afternoon to host Whitman for the series finale. First pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
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