Concordia Builds early Lead, Defeats Bearcats, 15-2

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Concordia University (Ore.) scored three runs in the second inning and added five runs in the third to build a 9-1 lead, and the Cavaliers went on to defeat Willamette University, 15-2, on Tuesday, March 18 at John Lewis Field. Concordia improved to 13-9 on the season, while Willamette dropped to 10-9.

The game was tied at 1-1 after Brandon Chinn (Sr., 1B, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) doubled and later scored for the Bearcats in the bottom of the first inning. Ty Wyatt (Fr., DH/INF, Keizer, OR/McNary HS) drove in Chinn with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Concordia plated three runs on five hits in the second inning to increase its lead to 4-1. Cole Buruse and Cole Pittman each doubled during the inning. In the top of the third, the Cavaliers tacked on five runs on one error and four hits, including an RBI double by Mike Egami.

Willamette trailed 10-1 after five and a half innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Blake Lepire (So., UT, Vista, CA/Santa Ana College) connected for a leadoff double. He had to stay at second on a single to center by Wyatt, as Blake Drake just missed on a diving attempt to catch the ball.

Lepire went to third on a single by Tosh Semlacher (Sr., RF, Gold River, CA/Jesuit HS) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Shea Harrison (So., 2B/RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS). A flyout and a groundout ended the threat.

Concordia completed the scoring with one run in the eight inning and four runs in the ninth. The Cavaliers finished with 16 hits, while the Bearcats amassed nine hits.

Egami went 4 for 6 during the game for Concordia. He scored two runs and recorded two RBIs. Buruse was 2 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Drake went 2 for 4 with a run and one RBI.

Semlacher finished 2 for 4 for Willamette. Seven other Bearcats registered one hit apiece. Chinn and Lepire each pounded out a double for Willamette.

Middle reliever Brad Bearden of Concordia received the win and improved to 2-0 on the season. He pitched from the third inning through the sixth inning and allowed just five hits and one run. Bryson Yasui tossed the final three innings for the Cavaliers to earn his first save. WU starting pitcher Albert Garcia (So., LHP, Broomfield, CO/Broomfield HS) moved to 0-1 with the loss.

Willamette will return to Northwest Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. The Bearcats and the Pioneers are scheduled to play two games on Saturday, March 22, starting at 12 p.m. (PDT), followed by one game on Sunday, March 23, also at 12 p.m.