Piazza Hits 3-Run Homer Off Fence in Left Center in 6-0 Win to Split Twinbill

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University earned three extra-base hits in the second game of a doubleheader against California Lutheran University on Saturday, April 27, and those three hits drove in every run in a 6-0 victory for the Bearcats over the Kingsmen to split the twinbill. In the first game, California Lutheran starting pitcher John Frazier tossed a complete-game eight-hitter and struck out nine batters to lead the Kingsmen to a 9-2 win.

The split provided Willamette with an overall record of 23-11. California Lutheran ended the day with a 25-11 record. The team will complete the three-game series on Sunday, April 28, starting at 12 p.m. PDT at John Lewis Field.

Hoffman, Piazza, and Birt Provide Key Hits in Shutout Win

Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS), Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B/LF, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/UC Davis), and Adam Birt (So., INF, Fremont, CA/Washington HS) supplied Willamette with the team's big hits in the second game. Hoffman smacked a run-scoring double to center field in the first inning. Piazza lashed a three-run homer that hit off the top of the fence in left center in the third inning. Birt tacked on a two-run homer to left field in the sixth inning.

Those three hits, strong pitching, and exceptional defense combined to send the Bearcats to a 6-0 shutout. It was Willamette's third shutout of the season. The Bearcats defeated SUNY Oneonta 10-0 on Feb. 24 and downed Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.) 12-0 on March 5.

Starter Steven Verespey (So., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS), 5-3, tossed five innings and allowed five hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Dylan Turner (So., RHP, Dallas, TX/Wilson HS) threw three innings with three hits, a walk, and four strikeouts. Samuel Daly (Grad., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) pitched in the ninth, faced three batters, and earned two strikeouts.

On defense, Carl Lawson (Sr., OF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) took a home run away from CLU's Griffin Zitko in the third inning with a leaping catch above the fence in left field. Earlier, in the top of the first, catcher Joshua Murphy (Sr., Everett, WA/Cascade HS/Olympic College) threw out Blake Wink on a stolen base attempt as Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS) made the tag. Wink was 17 for 17 on stolen bases prior to the play. In the fifth inning, Rocco Granucci (Jr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) made a diving catch in shallow right field for the third out with a runner at third base.

Foster singled to start the bottom of the first inning and scored on Hoffman's double. In the third, Foster singled and Granucci was hit by a pitch before both players scored on Piazza's home run. In the sixth, Lawson hit a leadoff single and scored on Birt's pinch-hit home run. For the game, Piazza was 2 of 3 at the plate, while Lawson was 2 of 4, and Foster was 2 of 5. WU outhit the Kingsmen 11-8. Lucas Danielewicz was 3 of 4 for CLU.

Granucci Blasts 2-Run Homer for Bearcats in Game 1 Loss

In the first game of the doubleheader, Granucci belted a two-run homer for Willamette in the third inning to tie the score at 2-2. The Kingsmen added two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth for a 6-2 advantage on their way to a 9-2 win over the Bearcats. Piazza hit two doubles for Willamette during the game.

Sebastian Smith hit an RBI single for the Kingsmen in the first inning and Josh Quinn connected on a solo homer to left field in the top of the second. Granucci's two-run homer in the third erased CLU's 2-0 lead. In the fifth, Kai Caranto claimed a leadoff single for California Lutheran and Lucas Danielewicz followed with a two-run homer to left. In the sixth, an error to begin the inning led to two unearned runs, as Alex Garcia scored on a single by Caranto and Wink scored on a wild pitch.

The Kingsmen tacked on a run in the eighth for a 7-2 edge. Garcia singled, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored with two outs on a single by Danielewicz. Noah Matsumoto pounded a two-run homer in the ninth. CLU piled up 16 hits in the first game, while Willamette attained eight hits. Granucci and Piazza were both 2 of 4 for the Bearcats.