FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific dropped their first contest of the day but rebounded with a come-from-behind victory in the late afternoon elimination game against Pacific Lutheran to earn a spot in tomorrow's championship bout.
The Boxers will meet Linfield in the championship round of the Northwest Conference Postseason Tournament, the winner earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Pacific (25-14, 14-10 NWC) struggled at the plate in their defeat to Linfield, going just 1-for-12 with runners on base and 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. In game two, the Boxers mustered just four hits before the eighth inning. Fortunately, a late rally in the bottom of the eighth propelled Pacific to the championship round for the second straight season.
Ty Yukomoto (Freshman/Waipahu, HI) was 3-for-6 with two extra base hits on the day.
Isaac Lovings (Senior/Beaverton, OR) enjoyed a multi-hit game in the Boxers' win over PLU, mashing an RBI double to give his team the lead.
Will Clark (Junior/Boise, ID) was solid in his 6.2 innings of work, surrendering just two runs and six hits while striking out four. He would take the no-decision after his 113 pitches, 69 of which finding the strike zone.
Game 1
After two scoreless frames to start, Linfield posted a two-spot in the third inning to take a commanding lead.
The Boxers replied in the fourth when Yukumoto banged a double off the right-field wall before
Patrick Muskat (Redshirt Freshman/Beaverton, OR) blooped a single to right to score the freshman.
In the fifth,
Cole Strober (Senior/Pacific City, OR) brought
Damon Tanner (Sophomore/El Dorado Hills, CA) around to score on a sacrifice fly to even the score at 2-2.
The Wildcats would get the last laugh with back-to-back doubles in the ninth, scoring three runs to take the 5-2 victory and advance to championship Sunday.
Game 2
Pacific had trouble with Pacific Lutheran's starting pitcher Cole Trotignon in the elimination game, as the Lutes' two-way standout went 7.1 innings, allowing just three runs and six hits.
Derek Eubanks (Senior/Oregon City, OR) tossed 3.1 innings before he was chased out of the game in the fourth. The left hander allowed two earned runs and six hits.
PLU struck first when Trotignon helped himself out with a two-RBI double to left field, giving the Lutes the early advantage. Pacific answered with Lovings' two-out base hit up the middle, scoring
Ryan Krout (Senior/Washougal, WA) to cut the lead in half.
David Allen (Junior/Keizer, OR) was brilliant in his relief outing, throwing 3.1 innings while allowing just one run and two hits.
Pacific Lutheran added another run in the top of the seventh but the Boxers came through when it mattered most, scoring three times in the home half of the eighth to take the lead.
Tyler Quinn (Junior/Mililani, HI) got things started when he blasted a home run just inside the left-field foul pole to bring the Boxers within one. Yukumoto followed by smacking a triple in the right-center gap. Krout was intentionally walked, putting runners at the corners with one out.
Jordan Hara (Senior/Aiea, HI) put together a great at-bat, launching a fly ball in a two-strike count to score the tying run on his sacrifice fly. Lovings stepped to the plate and roped one over the centerfielder's head to score Krout all the way from first base, putting the Boxers out in front.
Tyler Agnew (Junior/Folsom, CA) did the rest, earning the win after his scoreless two innings to send the Boxers to the championship round.
Up Next
The Boxers head to the championship round, where they will need to defeat Linfield twice to win the NWC Postseason Tournament Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
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