Bearcats Rolls Past Whitman, 11-5 and 14-0 at John Lewis Field

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Four Willamette University pitchers combined on a nine-hit shutout, as the Bearcats rolled past Whitman College, 14-0, in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 at John Lewis Field. The Bearcats also pounded out 11 hits on offense to go with nine walks and six hit batsmen.

Earlier on Saturday, Willamette received strong batting from the team's three freshmen in the lineup, as the Bearcats defeated the Missionaries, 11-5.

Willamette improved to 16-14 overall, 7-9 in the Northwest Conference. Whitman fell to 4-26, 3-16 in the NWC.

In the first game, freshman second baseman Tommy Kawamura (Renton, WA/Lindbergh HS) led the Bearcats by going 4 for 5 at the plate with a double and one runs scored. Designated hitter Tosh Semlacher (Fr., Gold River, CA/Jesuit HS) went 3 for 5 with one run, a double and one RBI.

First baseman Brandon Chinn (Fr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) smacked his first home run as a Bearcat and finished 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs. Kawamura, Semlacher and Chinn were a combined 9 for 13. Overall, Willamette accumulated 16 hits.

Other Bearcats with more than one hit during the game were Max Stepan (Sr., C, Pueblo, CO/Pueblo County HS) and Tim Schilf (Jr., 3B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School). Stepan was 2 for 4 with three runs, a double and an RBI. Schilf was 2 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Kyle Buckham was 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI for Whitman. Jay Richards and Erick Korsmo each went 2 for 5 during the game for the Missionaries. Richards hit a double, while Korsmo belted his fourth home run of the season.

Willamette starting pitcher Brandon Simon (So., RHP, Los Angeles, CA/Pacific Hills HS) threw seven innings and improved to 6-2 on the season. He allowed 10 hits, struck out four batters and gave up four runs. Whitman starter Justin Weeks fell to 2-6.

The Bearcats led 3-0 after three innings and were never caught by the Missionaries. Even so, Whitman pulled within 6-4 with three runs in the top of the seventh, but WU answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

With one out in the seventh, Stepan walked and Semlacher singled. Whitman tried to put out Stepan as he advance to third on the play, allowing Semlacher to take second base. Chinn walked to load the bases and Alex Lavery (Fr., IF, San Jose, CA/Bellarmine Prep) drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single through the right side.

After Whitman pushed across one run in the top of the eighth, the Bearcats responded by scoring the final three runs of the game.

Doug Bloom (Sr., SS, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) was hit by a pitch and scored two batters later when Tyson Giza (So., CF, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) reached base on an error. Later in the eighth, Stepan hit an RBI single to center and Semlacher provided an RBI double to right.

In the second game, Willamette starting pitcher Blake Paisley (Jr., RHP, Saratoga, CA/Saratoga HS) spread out seven hits over the first six innings, as he upped his record to 5-1. Paisley had three strikeouts and allowed one walk.

Three others pitchers -- Jamie McCaffrey (So., LHP, Canby, OR/Canby HS/Clackamas CC), Nate Bender (Sr., RHP, Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Jake Jones (So., RHP, Wilsonville, OR/Wilsonville HS) -- each threw one inning to maintain the shutout.

Giza went 2 for 3 with four runs and two walks for the Bearcats. He hit a solo home run to lead-off the fifth inning. T.C. Lee (Sr., LF, Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) blasted a two-run homer after Giza doubled to start the sixth inning. Lee had three RBIs during the game. Chinn was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.

The game also featured a stellar defensive play by Schilf. With two outs and runners at first and third in the top of the sixth inning, he made a diving catch near the third-base line on a well-struck ball by Kyle Moyes. Schilf was able to get back up and throw to first in time to beat Moyes for the third out.

Aaron Cohen of Whitman went 3 for 4 with two doubles. Cameron Young was 2 for 4 for the Missionaries.

Willamette tallied three runs in the first inning without a hit, as Whitman gave up two walks and starter Jake Nelson hit two batters. The Missionaries also committed an error during the inning.

Bloom was hit by a pitch before Kawamura and Giza walked. Lee forced in the first run when he was hit by a pitch. The other two runs scored on the error.

WU tacked on two runs in the fourth inning, then registered three runs in each of the next three innings. During the doubleheader, Willamette scored at least one run in 11 of its 16 at bats.

The teams will conclude the NWC series with one game at John Lewis Field on Sunday, April 17. Game time has been changed to 1 p.m. (PDT), which is one hour later than originally scheduled.