FOREST GROVE, Ore.- The Pacific University baseball team used multiple impressive offensive performances over the weekend to sweep Linfield as well as claim the NWC regular season title for the third consecutive year.
 
The Boxers offense totaled 47 hits which resulted in 31 runs scored over the three-game series. Pacific was able to show their power tallying 14 extra base hits including four homeruns in the final game of the series.
 
Game 1
 
Linfield opened up the scoring when their fifth batter of the game came to the plate with a runner on first and second and produced an RBI single to center field. Pacific however responded by tying the game up in the bottom half of the first when Ty Yukumoto was able to plate Tyler Quinn on a line drive to left field.
 
Pacific would leave two runners stranded on base in the bottom of the second, third and fourth innings. The Boxers were able to bring home Yukumoto in the Bottom of the Fifth on a delayed steal of home following a through down to second base on Matt Gibbs successful steal attempt. Walker Matthews was able to give the Boxers a 3-1 lead by scoring Gibbs from second on an RBI triple to right center.  
 
Yukumoto would continue to show off his impressive ability at the plate by driving in the Boxers fouth run of the game with an RBI single in Bottom of the Sixth.
 
Will Clark was able to hold the Wildcats to one run in the seven complete innings that he worked as he picked up the win. Cayden Okada came in for the Boxers to work the eighth and ninth innings to record the save in the 4-1 win.
 
Game 2
 
The second game of the series was all Pacific as they jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
 
Isaak Lovings was able to open up a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when he stepped in the batter's box with the bases loaded and two outs. A sharp line drive up the middle off the Lovings' bat was able to score Yukumoto and Davis Koester from second and third.
 
The Wildcats would close the deficit to one in the top of the second on a fielder's choice that scored the runner from third base.
 
Pacific's leading hitter CJ Colyer would come to the plate in the Bottom of the Second with the bases loaded and two outs. Colyer would end up crushing a double to left field and clear the bases giving the Boxers a 5-1 lead.
 
It was a quiet third inning for both sides before Linfield again would narrow their deficit to 5-2 following another RBI fielder's choice.
 
Holding a three-run lead heading into the Bottom of the Fourth, Pacific was able to score seven runs on seven hits while bringing 12 batters to the plate in the inning. A Koester single to left got the scoring started which brought the leadoff man, Dawson Tokishi home from second. Linfield made the decision to intentionally walk Colyer which loaded the bases with one out. Gibbs was the next to the plate and he was able to drive a ball to right field which added two more runs for the Boxers. That brought Lovings to the plate who hit a mammoth three-run homerun to left center giving the Boxers an 11-2 lead. The final run of the inning would come on a Tyler Quinn ground ball that would sneak through the left side of the infield pushing the Boxers lead to 12-2.
 
Linfield would add a run the Top of the Seventh before Andrew Thomas would give the Boxers a 13-3 lead on a groundout that scored Matthews from third following his one out triple.
 
The Wildcats would add another run in the Top of the Ninth but it would not be nearly enough as Pacific picked up their second win of the series by a score of 13-4. Hunter Edwards pitched five complete innings on his way to earning the win.
 
Game 3
 
As game three started, the Boxers needed to win the game as well as have Willamette drop their contest in order to win the NWC regular season title for the third straight year. Due to an earlier start time in Salem, Pacific found out midway through the contest that Willamette did indeed drop the final game of their series meaning that a win a Chuck Bafaro stadium would solidify the conference champion title.
 
Pacific's offense came out on red hot in the Bottom of the First. Quinn led off the came with a line drive double and then stole third base successfully to set up an early scoring opportunity. Yukumoto grounded out to the Wildcat shortstop but it was good enough to plate the runner from third base. CJ Colyer would add a second run in the inning with a solo homerun on a high flyball to right center field.
 
 The Boxers continued their offensive dominance in the second inning led off by a three-run homerun off the bat of Thomas. Following the big fly, Pacific loaded up the bases before Gibbs was able to plate two runners on an RBI single to right stretching the lead to 7-0.
 
Linfield had their most production of the three games in the Top of the Third when they plated four runs shrinking the Boxer lead to 7-4. They would add another run in the fourth to make it 7-5.
 
Koester would follow a Quinn leadoff double with a single to left field that scored Quinn from second. Lovings would come up with runners on first and second and hit a three-run homerun that just cleared the center field fence. Following the homerun, the Boxers held an 11-5 lead at the end of the fourth.
 
Both the Wildcats and Boxers would add a run in the fifth which made the score 12-6.
 
Gibbs would hit his third homerun of the season to lead off the Bottom of the Sixth. Thomas would add another run in the inning on a single that landed just out of the reach of the Linfield outfielders. That would be the final run scored by either side as Pacific earned the sweep and conference title with the 14-6 win.
 
Up Next
 
The Boxers conclude NWC regular season play on Tuesday, April 11^th with a single game against Lewis & Clark.
 
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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