Bearcats Hit Three Homers in Game 2, Split Doubleheader with Owls

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Chris Torgerson (Sr., RHP, Sacramento, CA/Jesuit HS) tossed a complete-game four-hitter and three Bearcats hit home runs, as Willamette University defeated Oregon Institute of Technology, 9-3, in the second game to split a doubleheader on Sunday, April 10. Oregon Tech won the first game, 13-8.

Willamette won three of the four games played between the two teams at John Lewis Field, as the Bearcats evened their record at 14-14. Oregon Tech ended the day with a 13-23 overall mark.

Doug Bloom (Sr., SS, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) set a Willamette record when he earned his 50th career stolen base in the second inning of Game 2. He entered the game tied for the WU record with Tom Phillips (49 stolen bases, 1984-86). Bloom also hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Also hitting homers in the win for the Bearcats were Tyson Giza (So., CF, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and Dylan Summers (Jr., Lake Oswego, OR/Lakeridge HS). For Oregon Tech, Colin Stock hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo blast to start the sixth inning.

Torgerson improve to 4-3 with the win in the second game. He pitched all seven innings and recording five strikeouts with no walks.

WU led the second game 2-0 after Max Stepan (Sr., C, Pueblo, CO/Pueblo County HS) pounded an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. The Owls tied the score in the top of the third, when two singles and two errors led to a pair of unearned runs.

Giza smacked a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third to put Willamette back in front for good.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Summers connected on a solo homer. Tim Schilf (Jr., 3B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) followed with a walk, and then Bloom tacked on his two-run homer to right center. Summers also drove in Stepan one inning later with a sacrifice line drive to center field, giving WU a 7-2 advantage.

The Owls scored on Stock's homer in the top of the sixth. WU complete the scoring in the bottom of the inning with an RBI triple by Giza and an RBI single from T.C. Lee (Sr., LF, Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS).

Giza was 3 for 4 with a single, a triple and a home run. Tommy Kawamura (Fr., 2B, Renton, WA/Lindbergh HS) walked three times for WU. Six other Bearcats earned one hit apiece.

In the first game, Oregon Tech trailed 5-0 after three innings, but tied the score with five runs in the fifth and moved into the lead for good with three runs in the sixth. Stock, Brad Walters and Hayden Wolfe each hit a homer for the Owls. For Willamette, Stepan blasted his eighth home run of the season.

WU built its lead with three runs in the second and two in the third. In the second inning, Tosh Semlacher (Fr., 3B, Gold River, CA/Jesuit HS) and Brandon Chinn (Fr., 1B, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) both singled, while Giza and Kawamura each walked with the bases loaded. Semlacher drove in both runs in the third with a single up the middle.

OIT's five-run fifth inning included a two-run homer from Walters and a two-RBI double from Tommy Wood. In the sixth inning, the Owls received a two-run single from Wolfe and a run-scoring single from Kyle Conner.

Stock's solo homer in the seventh increased the margin to 9-5, but WU cut the lead to a single run by scoring three times in the bottom of the inning.

Kawamura singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a single by Lee and scored on a wild throw when Lee stole second. Lee and Stepan scored the other two runs on Stepan's homer to right field.

Oregon Tech tallied an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Conner scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Wolfe hit a three-run homer for the Owls in the top of the ninth.

Matt Bellando, the starting pitcher for OIT, threw 108 pitches in six innings to record the win. Zack O'Hanen tossed the final three innings for a save.

Wolfe went 4 for 6 with two runs and five RBIs in the opener. Stock also finished 4 for 6. For WU, Lee was 3 for 4 with two runs scored, while Chinn earned three hits and a run in five at bats. Semlacher was 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.

Willamette will host Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) in a non-conference game on Wednesday, April 13. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. (PDT).