Willamette Leads 6-5 after 7 Innings, Pulls Away in 8th and 9th for 13-8 Win at Corban

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University broke open a close game with four runs in the eighth inning and three runs in the ninth, as the Bearcats defeated Corban University, 13-8, on Tuesday, April 24 at Warrior Field. The Bearcats improved to 12-22 on the season. Corban fell to 25-20.

It was Corban's first game on its home field in two years after previous games were moved to off-campus sites due to field conditions.

The victory allowed Willamette to win the season series against its crosstown rivals, 2-1. The Bearcats also were victorious in the first meeting of the season, 17-5 on Feb. 24, while Corban won the second game, 5-3 on Feb. 27.

In Tuesday's game, the Bearcats held a 6-4 lead entering the seventh inning, but the Warriors plated a run to cut the margin to 6-5. Willamette extended the lead to 10-5 with its 4-run eighth inning, before advancing the lead to 13-5 in the ninth. Corban tallied three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't enough to erase Willamette's big lead.

Dylan Summers (Sr., C, Lake Oswego, OR/Lakeridge HS) topped Willamette's offensive chart with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double, two runs and three RBIs. He drove in the game's opening run with his double in the first inning. He hit an RBI single in the sixth inning and brought home another run with a single in the eighth.

Summers, who had a 13-game hitting streak snapped on Saturday, has now hit in three consecutive games, giving him a base hit in 16 of his last 17 games played.

Joining Summers with more than one hit for the Bearcats were Tiras Koon (Fr., 1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School), Hunter Gallant (Fr., 3B/2B, Rescue, CA/Ponderosa HS) and Rolenn Himuro (Fr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School).

Koon went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. He also registered 10 putouts at first base. Gallant was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Himuro went 2 for 5, scored three times and drove in one run.

Tyler Olson (Fr., RHP, Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) of Willamette, who pitched two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth stanzas, was credited with the win, as he evened his record at 3-3. Corban reliever Andy Thiessen dropped to 0-2 with the loss.

Corban had four players with two hits apiece. They were Jeremiah Forrister (2 for 2), Marc Gallegos (2 for 4), Matt Hamlin (2 for 4) and Gregg Romero (2 for 5). Hamlin hit two doubles, scored once and brought in two runs. Gallegos earned a double, one run and one RBI. Forrister hit one double and scored twice, while Romero produced one run and one RBI.

Mitch Rowan (Jr., DH/LF, Cotati, CA/Rancho Cotate HS) from Willamette walked with two outs in the first inning, stole second and scored on Summers' double. In the second inning, Adam Reid (Sr., RF, San Jose, CA/Lynbook HS) walked with one out, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Himuro to deep foul territory. WU led 2-0.

The Warriors surged in front with four runs in the third. Logan Mordhorst was hit by a pitch and Hamlin walked before Gallegos drove in a run on a double to right center. Romero and Colby Sokol each added an RBI single. A base hit on a bunt by Cody Atkinson loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Steven Blum allowed Romero to score. A fly out and a groundout ended the inning.

Willamette crept back in front, 5-4, in the fifth stanza. Rowan singled to start the inning and went to second on a wild pitch. He reached third when Summers hit into an error at second base. A wild pitch moved both runners, allowing Rowan to cross the plate. Koon doubled to center field, but Summers had to wait to see if the ball was caught and ended the play at third base.

Yet another wild pitch brought Summers home. Koon scored on a sacrifice fly by Gallant.

Himuro struck out swinging with two outs in the top of the sixth, but reached base when the ball took a high bounce toward the backstop. A wild pitch and a hit baseman sent Himuro to third. He scored on a single by Summers.

Forrister belted a leadoff double for Corban in the seventh. Forrister went to third when Tyler Atkinson reached base on an infield error. Steven Candelaria provided an RBI single to score Forrister and cut the WU lead to 6-5.

In the top of the eighth, Willamette gained control with four runs on four hits and three errors. Summers and Gallant hit RBI singles during the inning.

Kawamura and Himuro singled with one out in the ninth and Jake Berg-Rosenblatt (Fr., C, Los Angeles, CA/Crossroads School) walked. Kawamura scored on a wild pitch, Himuro reached home on a groundout by Michael Oliver (Sr., IF, Seattle, WA/West Seattle HS) and Berg-Rosenblatt scored on a single by Brandon Chinn (So., 3B, Salem, OR/Sprague HS).

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Corban's Marc Labarthe singled home one run and Hamlin connected for a two-RBI double to complete the scoring.

Willamette will close out the season with a 3-game Northwest Conference series at the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. On Saturday, the Bearcats and the Loggers will play a doubleheader at 12 p.m. (PDT). On Sunday, the teams will play one game at 12 p.m.