Willamette Splits Final Two Games at Lewis & Clark

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Willamette University defeated Lewis & Clark College, 15-6, on Monday, March 2 at the Houston Sports Complex, in the completion of a game suspended due to weather in the fifth inning on Sunday, March 1. In the second game of the double-header, played in its entirety on Monday, Lewis & Clark won a pitcher's duel, 2-1, as the Pioneers held the Bearcats to four hits.

Kyle Stalker (Sr., 1B, Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of the suspended game on Sunday. T.C. Lee (So., LF, Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) blasted a grand slam homer in the fifth inning, to help Willamette build a 15-2 advantage before the game was stopped.

Doug Bloom (So., SS, Salem, OR/South Salem HS), who was 3 for 4 during the game, and Michael Dearborn (So., RF/2B, Solana Beach, CA/Torrey Pines HS), who went 2 for 3, also made key contributions for the Bearcats. Blake Paisley Fr., RHP, Saratoga, CA/Saratoga HS) earned the win for Willamette, after allowing just two runs in the first four innings on Sunday. He evened his record at 1-1.

WU and L&C were tied 1-1 after one inning. Bloom doubled to open the game and later scored on a single by Max Stepan (So., C, Pueblo, CO/Pueblo County HS). Parker Dane singled to lead off the bottom of the first. He scored for the Pioneers on a sacrifice fly by Sami Morgan.

The Bearcats took the lead with four runs in the second inning and added three more in the third. WU pounded out five hits in the second and used two hits and and an error in the third.

After Stalker's homer increased the lead to 9-1 in the fourth, L&C countered with one run in the bottom of the inning. WU scored six times in the fifth inning, with Lee's grand slam providing the final runs before the game was suspended.

Lee finished the first game 2 for 3 with one run and four RBIs. Stalker went 2 for 3, drove in three runs and scored twice. Willamette connected for 15 hits, including six for extra bases.

L&C earned 14 hits during the contest. Five of the hits were registered in the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Pioneers scored four runs to cut WU's lead to the final margin of 15-6. Three of the runs scored on a homer by A. J. Brown.

In the last game of the series, L&C pitcher Alex St. Pierre (1-0) achieved eight strikeouts and limited Willamette to four hits. The Bearcats registered three doubles, but never managed more than one hit in a single inning.

For Willamette, Scott Martin (Jr., RHP, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), Andrew Wyman (So., RHP, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) and Jack McGee (Sr., RHP/3B, Hillsborough, CA/St. Ignatius HS) combined on a seven-hitter. Martin allowed one run in three innings of work. Wyman (0-1) threw scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth stanzas, but gave up a single to Michael Ball to open the sixth inning.

McGee replaced Wyman on the mound, but Morgan hit a sacrifice bunt to move Ball to second. A single by Jordan Wlodarczyk advanced Ball to third. Ryan Kostecka followed with another single to drive in the winning run. Willamette was retired in order in the top of the seventh.

L&C scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Dane singled to center field. He moved to second on a balk, then scored on a double by Ball.

The Bearcats equalized in the top of the fifth. Dan Maslanik (Sr., C, Boulder, CO/Fairview HS) walked to open the inning. Adam Reid (Fr., OF, San Jose, CA/Lynbrook HS) pinch-ran for Maslanik and was sacrificed to second base by Ellis Webster (Sr., 2B, Carlsbad, CA/San Dieguito Academy). One out later, Dearborn drove in Reid with a double to left field.

Willamette's top four hitters in the order each recorded one hit during the game. Bloom, Dearborn, and Stalker were credited with doubles, while Lee provided a single. Ball and Kostecka each went 2 for 3 for Lewis & Clark.

The Bearcats ended the day with a 5-2 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Northwest Conference. Lewis & Clark moved to 1-7 overall, 1-3 in the NWC.