Four Bearcats Hit a Triple in 11-4 Victory over Missionaries

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

WALLA WALLA, WASH. -- Four Bearcats each hit a triple to lead Willamette University to an 11-4 win over Whitman College in Northwest Conference play on Sunday, April 15 at Borleske Stadium. The Bearcats accumulated a total of 11 hits, walked six times and were hit by two pitches.

Willamette upped its record to 11-19 overall, 7-11 in the Northwest Conference. Whitman fell to 5-28 overall, 5-16 in the NWC.

Tyson Giza (Jr., CF, Salem, OR/Sprague HS) led the Bearcats by going 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs. He also belted one of the triples. Also recording a triple for the Bearcats were Dylan Summers (Sr., DH/C, Lake Oswego, OR/Lakeridge HS), Tanner Oates (Fr., 2B, Sparks, NV/Spanish Springs HS) and Adam Reid (Sr., RF, San Jose, CA/Lynbrook HS).

Tommy Kawamura (So., SS, Renton, WA/Lindbergh HS) was 2 of 3 for Willamette with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs.

WU's starting pitcher, Peter Hoffman (Fr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) went six innings to pick up the win and improve to 2-4 on the season. He struck out five batters, while allowing five hits, three walks and two runs. Three relievers helped close out the win.

Jimmy Madden and Chris Konolige each went 3 for 4 on offense for the Missionaries. Madden scored one run, while Konolige recorded one RBI.

Willamette scored two runs in the first inning and four runs in the fourth inning to develop a 6-0 advantage. Meanwhile, Hoffman limited the Missionaries to just two hits over the first five innings. Both hits were recorded with two outs in the second stanza, but Hoffman ended the threat with a strikeout.

Three Whitman errors helped Willamette in the first inning. Kawamura reached first on an error by the third baseman. A throwing error by the pitcher, allowed Kawamura to advance to third base. Giza smacked an RBI triple down the right field line, and then scored the second run when Mitch Rowan (Jr., LF, Cotati, CA/Rancho Cotate HS) grounded out.

The fourth inning was highlighted by two of the Bearcats' triples. After Ben Petersen (Jr., DH/C, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS/Butte College) walked to start the inning, Oates tripled to left center. With one out, Kawamura connected on a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Oates. Giza walked, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, and then Rowan also walked. Summers blasted a two-run triple to center field.

WU extended the lead to 8-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Reid batted first and tripled into the right field corner. He scored on a base hit to right field by Kawamura. Giza also singled, with Kawamura advancing to third on an error in center field. Later, Giza was picked off in a run-down, but the play took long enough for Kawamura to score from third.

The Missionaries scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, but Willamette answered with three runs in the seventh for an 11-2 advantage. Whitman earned one run in the bottom of the seventh when Jonny Chow doubled and later scored on a groundout by Cameron Young. The Missionaries tallied the game's final run in the eighth inning.

Hoffman earned the win with his strong pitching through the first five innings. He gave up three singles, a walk and two runs in the sixth inning, but began that frame with an 8-0 lead. With five strikeouts during the game, he now has 25 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched this season.

Willamette will host Whitworth University in a Northwest Conference series next weekend. The Bearcats and the Pirates will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 21 starting at 12 p.m. (PDT). They will close out the series with one game on Sunday, April 22, also at 12 p.m.