Bearcats Lead 10-0 in 6th Inning of Suspended Game; L&C Wins First Game, 5-3

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

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Willamette University held a 10-0 lead over Lewis & Clark College in the bottom of the sixth inning during the second game of a doubleheader when play was suspended due to darkness, on Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Huston Sports Complex. The second game will be resumed on Sunday, March 1 at 11 a.m. (PST), and will be followed by the final game of the three-game series.

In the first game on Saturday, Sammy Benbow of Lewis & Clark hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Pioneers a 5-3 lead. Later, in the top of the eighth, Benbow moved from right field to the mound, and pitched the final four outs to earn a save.

Willamette scored one run in the first inning of the opening game. With two outs, Justin Scanlon (Sr., 2B, San Jose, CA/Leigh HS/West Valley College) singled to left field. Scanlon scored when Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Fy., DH/UT, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) hit into a two-base error by the left fielder.

The Bearcats upped the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third. Joey Faudskar (Sr., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS) started the inning with a double down the left field line, and moved to third on a ground out by Ethan Fischel (So., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS). Faudskar crossed the plate on a single by Scanlon.

In the bottom of the third, Jacob Sarafini hit a leadoff double for L&C. He advanced to second on a walk issued to Michael Contreras, reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Bailey, and scored on a ground out by Jack Thomson. The Pioneers tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning, after Tyler Gannon started the stanza with a double to left center. Gannon went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Katona, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Benbow.

Faudskar reached first on catcher's interference to begin the fifth inning for the Bearcats. He stole second base, before scoring when Fischel reached first on an error by the second baseman. The run gave Willamette a 3-2 lead.

The Pioneers move in front on Benbow's three-run homer in the sixth. Zack Kon and Gannon started the inning with two singles. Katona hit into a fielder's choice, with Kon thrown out at third. Benbow smacked the ball over the fence in center field, as L&C took a 5-3 advantage.

Over the next three innings, pitchers Dylan Moore and Benbow limited Willamette to no runs scored and one hit. L&C starter Noah Ferruggia, now 1-0, three 5 13 innings and allowed five hits and three runs, but gave up only one earned run. Justin Miller (Jr./So., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway HS/Palomar CC), who started on the mound for WU, fell to 1-1 with the loss. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, and gave up eight hits and five runs. Miller registered three strikeouts and allowed one walk. Mason Cook (Sr., RHP, Riverton, UT/Riverton HS) threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Bearcats.

L&C outhit the Bearcats, 9-6, in the first game. The Pioneers managed to overcome four errors, while Willamette committed one error. Scanlon led the Bearcats at the plate by going 2 of 5 with a run and an RBI. Faudskar and Nick Di Fiori (Jr., INF/RHP, Monrovia, CA/Bishop Amat HS) each hit a double for Willamette. Benbow topped L&C at the plate, as he went 2 of 4 with a double, a homer and four RBIs. Gannon went 2 fo 3 with a double and two runs scored.