Bearcats Down Puget Sound, 7-6 and 17-9, as Fischel and Nelsen Smack Homers

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Ethan Fischel (So., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) blasted a three-run homer and Michael Nelsen (Jr., C, Folsom, CA/Vista Del Lago HS) smacked a two-run homer, as Willamette won the second game of a doubleheader 17-9 against the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Feb. 22 at John Lewis Field. Fischel and Nelsen led a 15-hit attack by the Bearcats in the second game. Willamette won the first game, 7-6, after trailing 5-2 through six innings. Nick Di Fiori (Jr., INF/RHP, Monrovia, CA/Bishop Amat HS) drove in the final two runs during a five-run seventh inning to give Willamette a 7-5 lead.

Willamette improved to 5-4 on the season, 2-0 in the Northwest Conference. Puget Sound ended the day at 3-6, 0-2 in the NWC.

During the doubleheader, the Bearcats held a slim 25-24 edge in total hits, but outscored the Loggers 24-15. In the first game, Joey Faudskar (Sr., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS), Layton Wagner (Fy., 3B/RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Fy., DH/UT, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) each recorded two hits. In the second game, Di Fiori and Werkmeister-Martin each earned three hits, while Nelsen and Tyler Vandemark (Jr., LF, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) contributed two hits apiece. Willamette scored 10 runs in the third inning of the second game to take a 10-1 lead.

"We had a good day on offense. Nick had several big hits, including the pinch-hit two-run single in game 1. It was great to see the team respond after being down. Our pitchers threw strikes."
— Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick

The teams will complete the three-game series on Sunday, Feb. 23. Game time at John Lewis Field is set for 12 p.m. (PST).

Bearcats Rally with 5 Runs in 7th Inning of First Game

Willamette rallied from a pair of three-run deficits in the first game to grab the 7-6 win. The five-run seventh inning that propelled the Bearcats into a 7-5 lead featured four singles, two walks and an error.

The Loggers moved in front 3-0 in the top of the third. AJ Morioka and Makoa Mau singled to start the inning. Hunter Riley hit into a fielder's choice toward the mound, as Morioka was thrown out at third base. Kyle Strash singled through the left side, advancing Riley to second, but Mau was thrown out at the plate on a throw from Vandemark in left field. Mason Quinlan followed with a three-run homer to right center.

WU pulled within one run by scoring twice in the bottom of the third. Samuel Daly (Fy, OF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) and Vandemark singled. Both runners moved up a base when Nelsen provided a sacrifice bunt between the plate and the mound. Faudskar sent a single up the middle to drive in Daly and Vandemark.

Puget Sound increased its lead to 5-2 with one out in the fifth when Riley belted a two-run homer to left field. Morioka, who singled to begin the stanza, also scored on the play.

Neither team scored in the sixth, but Willamette rallied in the bottom of the seventh. WU's four hits in the outburst were a single down the right field line by Werkmeister-Martin, an infield single by Nelsen, a bunt single by Faudskar, and Di Fiori's two-run single near the right field line. Vandemark hit a sac fly to extreme right to bring in the first run of the inning.

In the top of the eighth, the Loggers plated a run to cut Willamette's lead to 7-6. Corey Roberts walked open the stanza. Two outs later, Ricardo Barraza singled through the left side to advance Roberts to second. Morioka followed with a single to left that drove home Roberts and sent Barraza to third. Mau grounded out to second to end the inning.

Willamette left two runners on base in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, Pruitt Spritzer (Fy., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep) went to the mound for the Bearcats and faced just three batters to earn his first save.

Justin Miller (Jr./So., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway HS/Palomar CC), Willamette's starting pitcher, tossed seven innings and moved to 1-0 with the win. Miller struck out two batters and did not allow a walk, while giving up 10 hits and five runs. Puget Sound starter Davis Miller pitched six innings and allowed three runs and four hits, while recording five strikeouts. He left without receiving the decision, as Matthew Hicks fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Faudskar was 2 for 4 with a run and three RBIs for WU. Wagner was 2 for 3 and scored a run. Wermeister-Martin went 2 for 2 with a double and a run. Di Fiori finished 1 for 1 with two RBIs. For Puget Sound, Morioka went 3 of 4 with a run and an RBI, Quinlan was 2 for 5 with a 3-run homer, and Hunter went 2 for 5 with two runs, a double and a 3-run homer.

Willamette Scores 10 Runs in Second Inning of 17-9 Win

The Bearcats rallied from an early 1-0 deficit in the second game by plating 10 runs in the third inning on their way to a 17-9 victory in the second game.

Puget Sound scored first when Hunter smacked a solo home run to left field on the first pitch of the game. Strash followed with a walk, but three consecutive outs ended the frame.

Nelsen walked to start Willamette's huge third inning. The Bearcats benefited from a total of five walks during the stanza, and also pounded out five hits. Werkmeister provided an RBI infield single to third base. Wagner earned an RBI on a bases-loaded walk. Daly connected for an RBI single. Di Fiori belted a three-run double down the left field line. Vandemark registered an RBI single to right center. Fischel brought in the final three runs with a homer to left field.

Quinlan belted a solo home run for Puget Sound in the top of the fourth, before Willamette tacked on three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 13-2 advantage. Di Fiori singled to drive in one run for the Bearcats, while Nelsen hit a two-run single. A two-run homer by Jack McCullar in the fifth inning pulled Puget Sound within 13-4, and a five-run sixth inning allowed the Loggers to reduce Willamette's lead to 13-9. Quinlan hit a two-run single in the sixth.

Willamette answered with four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. With one out Vandemark doubled to right field, and Nelsen blasted a two-run homer to center. Later in the inning, Werkmeister-Martin provided a two-run double that scored Fischel, who was hit by a pitch, and Faudskar, who walked.

Benjamin Whitten (Sr., RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS), who started on the mound for the Bearcats, pitched 5 1/3 innings and improved to 3-0. He allowed nine hits and nine runs, but four runs were unearned. He limited the Loggers to four hits over the first five innings. Puget Sound's starter, Joe Brennan, pitched 2 1/3 innings and fell to 0-2.

Di Fiori went 3 for 5 with a double, two runs and four RBIs. Werkmeister-Martin was 3 for 5 with a double, two runs and three RBIs. Fischel scored three times and drove in three runs, while going 1 for 3 with a homer. Nelsen recorded a 2-for-2 performance at the plate with a homer, two runs, two walks, and four RBIs. Vandemark was 2 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Justin Scanlon (Sr., 2B, San Jose, CA/Leigh HS/West Valley College) led all players with four walks.

Quinlan was 2 of 5 with a homer, a run and three RBIs for Puget Sound. Riley went 2 for 4 with two runs and a pair of RBIs. Morioka supplied a 2-for-4 effort with two runs scored.