Big Offense Leads Bearcats to Sunday Sweep of Lewis & Clark

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

NEWBERG, Ore. – The Willamette University baseball team continued the season series with Lewis and Clark College, sweeping a doubleheader on Sunday, March 13, at George Fox University. Saturday's second game was rained out and field conditions in Portland moved the game to Newberg.

Willamette came from behind, eliminating a five-run deficit in the top of the ninth, scoring six runs to overtake the Pioneers and claim the win in game one, 12-11. They had some strong offensive performances in game two as well, taking the nightcap 12-5. The Bearcats improved to 8-8 overall and 6-6 in the NCW. L&C dropped to 9-9 and 4-6 in the NWC.

Bearcats Score Six Runs in Ninth to Overtake Pioneers 12-11

The Bearcats struck early in the opener, scoring in the top of the first inning. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., IF, Louisville, CA/Monarch HS) doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch. He came in to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ethan Fischel (Sr., IF, Eureka, CA/Eureka).

The Pioneers used a lead-off double, two errors and a wild pitch to pull in front with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the first. Willamette then capitalized on errors to tie the game in the top of the third. Werkmeister-Martin made it all the way to third on a pair of defensive miscues and scored as Ethan Dunnam (Jr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) reached on an error as well.

Lewis and Clark answered again in the bottom of the third, plating three runs to pull in front, 5-3. Jakob Ghammachi drove in two runs with a double down the left field line and came across himself on a single from Justin Cavagnaro.

Jack Thomson stretched the lead to 7-2 in the fourth with a two-run homer to right field. Following Thomson's at bat, the game went into a rain delay.

After the game resumed, the Bearcats cut into the deficit with three runs in the fifth inning. Ryan Whithorn (Gr., IF, Claremont, CA/The Webb School) led off the inning with a double. Back-to-back singles from Werkmeister-Martin and Dunnam scored a pair of runs, and Fischel followed up with a double to bring in Dunnam to shrink the margin to 7-5.

The Pioneers had another big half in the sixth, adding three runs on three hits to extend the lead to 10-5.  They tacked on another in the seventh as Cavagnaro tripled and scored on a single from Jack Savant.

Willamette added a run in the eighth, using a lead off double from Trey Topping (Fy., C, Valencia, CA/West Ranch HS) and an RBI single from Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/IF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS).

The Bearcats rallied in the ninth, scoring six runs to take a 12-11 lead into the bottom of the final inning. Werkmeister-Martin singled and Dunnam was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Fischel came up and sent one over the wall to make things interesting at 11-9, with no one out. Rocco Granucci (Fy., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) then singled up the middle to force a pitching change.

Jeff Hoffman (So., IF, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) kept things going with a double into right center and Granucci crossed the plate to pull the Bearcats within one, 11-10. Wagner immediately tied the game with another double that looked almost identical to Hoffman's on the next at bat.

Willamette kept rolling as Jonny Suchor (Jr., IF, Boulder, CO/Boulder) came through with a one-out single to give the Bearcats the lead before the Pioneers were able to turn a double-play to end the rally.

Brady Joyner (Jr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) came on to close, facing four batters in the bottom half of the ninth to earn the save. Justin Miller (Sr., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway) recorded seven strikeouts, going 5.2 innings in the start.

Matt Pisacane (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/San Dieguito HS) booked three strikeouts and Ben Kowalski (Jr., RHP, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) added a pair and earned the win in relief. The Bearcats had nine players record hits in the game, combining for 17 as a team.

Werkmeister-Martin went 3-for-5 with four runs scored, one double and one RBI. Wagner and Granucci both went 3-for-5 as well. Wagner added a double, two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored. Fischel drove in five runs behind two hits. Topping also had a pair of hits on the day.

Werkmeister-Martin Has Four Hits, Fischel Drives in Four Runs in Game Two Victory

Game two was scoreless through the first three innings before the Willamette bats came alive in the fourth. Werkmeister-Martin singled and Dunnam reached on a walk to set the stage for Fischel's second three-run homer of the day.

Cavagnaro added an RBI double to his day as Lewis and Clark answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Pioneers slipped in front in the fifth with a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to lead 4-3.

The Bearcats tallied two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to lead 8-4. Dunnam doubled in a run in the seventh and scored on an error off the bat of Topping. In the eighth, Hoffman led off the inning with a double and would score on a sacrifice bunt. Werkmeister-Martin and Fischel produced two more runs with RBI singles.

Willamette pushed across four more insurance runs on the ninth. Granucci and Hoffman led off the inning with back-to-back doubles. Hoffman came in on a single from Samuel Daly (Jr., OF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS), who advanced to third on an error. Daly later came in on a wild pitch. Wagner closed out the scoring after reaching on a walk, stealing third and coming home on another wild pitch.

The Pioneers used a triple and a sacrifice fly to add a run in the bottom of the ninth. The Bearcats closed out the inning for the final of 12-5.

Werkmeister-Martin had another big game at the plate, going 4-for-6. Fischel added four RBIs to give him nine on the day, adding two hits. Hoffman went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Granucci had a pair of hits, including a double.

Eric Waldichuk (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/University City HS) went 4.1 innings in the start on the hill, recording four strikeouts. JD Willis (So., LHP, Chandler, AZ/Perry HS) and Will Braaton (Sr., RHP, Highlands Ranch, CO/ThunderRidge HS) combined for four strikeouts, and Logan Haslam (So., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) added another, closing out the final inning.

Willamette travels to Bushnell on Wednesday, March 16, for a single game at 4 p.m. They are home next weekend, hosting a three-game series with Whitworth University. Game one of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 20 starts at 12 p.m. The teams will also play a single game on Sunday at 12 p.m. All games are (PDT).