Bearcats Sweep Bruins, as Joyner Earns Sixth Save, Swick Reaches 300 Wins

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University won both games of a doubleheader against George Fox University, 4-3 and 9-5, on Sunday, March 5 to complete a three-game sweep of the Bruins at Morse Athletic Field. In the first game, the Bearcats allowed just one earned run and Brady Joyner (Jr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) pitched the final inning to pick up his sixth save of the year. In the second game, Jeff Hoffman (Jr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) belted his sixth home run of the season and Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick earned his 300th victory with the Bearcats.

The Bearcats, who have won six of their last seven games, ended the weekend with a 9-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in the Northwest Conference. George Fox dropped to 5-9 overall, 1-5 in the NWC.

On Sunday, Willamette outhit the Bruins 10-8 in the first game and 10-9 in the second game.  In the opener, Drew Baskin (So., 2B, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS) led WU with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate to go along with one RBI. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Sr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) was 2 of 3 with a run, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI. Joshua Murphy (Jr., C, Everett, WA/Cascade HS/Olympic College) also went 2 of 4. Murphy and Jonny Suchor (Jr., INF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) each hit a double.

In the second game, Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) belted a double and went 2 for 4 at the plate with a run and two RBIs. Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) was 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored. Ethan Fischel (Grad., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) finished 2 of 5 with a run and two RBIs. Hoffman was 1 of 4 with his two-run homer and two runs scored. Ethan Dunnam (Sr., C, El Cajon, CA/Valhalla HS) went 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored.

Joyner's six saves are tied for seventh on Willamette's single-season list. He is second on WU's career list with 15 saves.

Bearcats Edge George Fox 4-3 in First Game

The Bearcats claimed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the first game. Layton Wagner (Sr., RHP/INF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) singled, went to third on a single by Lawson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Werkmeister-Martin. Lawson stole second and later scored when Basking singled to right field. GFU cut the score in half with a run in the bottom of the second. Jared Miller hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Shane McClendon. The Bruins tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth stanza, as Miller hit a bunt single to start the inning, went to third on a balk, and scored on a two out triple by Jeremy Sangalang.

Willamette broke the tie in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Werkmeister-Martin singled, and went to second on a wild pitch. He scored on a double to left by Suchor, giving WU a 3-2 edge. The Bearcats added an insurance run in the seventh, when Clint Walker (Sr., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) received a base on balls, reached second on a balk, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored when Fischel hit into an error. WU led 4-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Brandon King singled to left and advanced to second on an error for GFU. He eventually scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Stone.

Willamette's pitching preserved the 4-3 win. Starter EJ McGrew (Fy., LHP, Oakland, CA/St. Mary's College Prep) pitched five innings and received the win to even his record at 1-1. Steven Verespey (Fy., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) pitched the next 2 2/3 innings, while Logan Haslam (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS) pitched the final out in the eighth. Joyner faced four batters and allowed one walk in the ninth to grab the save.

Two Four-Run Innings Propel Willamette to 9-5 Win

The second game featured two big innings for the Bearcats, as Willamette plated four runs in both the second and fifth stanzas. The four-run second inning gave WU a 5-0 lead and the four-run fifth created a 9-3 advantage that the Bruins couldn't overcome. Sangalang was GFU's top batter as he went 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI. 

Lawson scored in the top of the first after hitting a double and later crossing the plate on an error. The big second inning included two hits, starting with an RBI double by Granucci to score Baskin. Dunnam walked and went to second on a wild pitch, as Granucci advanced to third. Werkmeister-Martin brought home Dunnam with a sacrifice fly. Hoffman followed with a two-run homer to left. GFU tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and tacked on one run in the fourth to pull within 5-3.

The Bearcats responded with four runs in the fifth. Key hits were a two-run single by Fischel, and run-scoring singles by Suchor and Granucci. The Bruins moved within 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Ellis singled and later reached home on a single by Mason Eastman. George Fox scored one run in the eighth inning, but was unable to sustain a rally.

Relief pitcher Pruitt Spritzer (Sr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep) improved to 3-0 with the win. He entered the game with one out and two runners in the fourth and went 2 2/3 innings. He forced a double play to end the fourth inning, gave up two hits and no runs in the fifth, and also kept GFU off the scoreboard in the sixth despite three singles.

Willamette will play home next weekend in a four-game series against Pacific Lutheran University. Doubleheaders are set for Saturday, March 11 at 11 a.m. (PST) and Sunday, March 12 at 12 p.m. (PDT).