Bearcats to Play Corban in Two 7-Inning Games at Volcanoes Stadium on Tuesday

Connor Bailey (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS)
Connor Bailey (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS)
April 10, 2017

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University baseball team will play crosstown rival Corban University in a doubleheader of seven-inning games on Tuesday, April 11 at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Oregon. First pitch is in the opening game is set for 4 p.m. (PDT). Corban will be the home team, but both squads will get to play in a minor league stadium.

Originally, the Bearcats and Warriors were scheduled to play a single game at Willamette in March and one game at Corban on Tuesday.

Willamette, which competes in NCAA Division III, enters the doubleheader with a 23-13 overall record and a 15-6 mark in the Northwest Conference. Corban, a member of the NAIA, is 13-23 on the season and 7-16 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.

Connor Bailey (So., LF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) leads the Bearcats with a .331 batting average and is first on the team with 25 RBIs. he is tied for the team lead with eight doubles and five home runs. He ranks second o the team with 25 runs scofed and is tied for second with 20 walks.

Tyler Esquivel (Jr., RF, Filmore, CA/Filmore HS) is batting .317 on the season and Perry Van Eckhardt (Jr., CF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) is hitting .309. Van Eckhardt is 15 of 15 on stolen bases and is tied with Bailey for first on the team with five homers.

Willamette's pitching staff has a 4.44 team earned run average. Starter Matt Steindorf (So., RHP, Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay HS) leads the way with 46 strikeouts and 67 2/3 innings pitched. Brandon Nelson (So., RHP, Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta HS) has tossed two complete-game shutouts this season and has 32 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings.

Several relievers have ERAs lower than 3.50. They are Dylan Ross (Fr., RHP, Malibu, CA/ Malibu HS) at 1.29, Dawson Campos (Fr., RHP, Reno, NV/Galena HS) at 1.88, Nolan Boggini (So., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS) at 2.25, Dawson Enright (Fr., RHP, La Mesa, CA/James Madison HS) at 3.12 and Jett Gallagher (Jr., RHP, Santa Cruz, CA/Santa Cruz HS) at 3.49.