Blues Win both Games, but Bearcats Hit Four Homers and Two Triples

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Whitman College scored 10 runs in the first inning of a doubleheader against Willamette University on Sunday, March 27 and won the high-scoring opener 25-16. In the second game, which went seven innings, Whitman defeated the Bearcats 11-7. The first game counted in the Northwest Conference standings, while the second game was a non-conference contest.

The Blues improved to 9-17 on the season, 6-7 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 13-10 overall, 10-8 in the NWC.

Willamette is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday, March 30, when the Bearcats will host crosstown rival Corban University at John Lewis Field. Game time in Salem, Oregon, is set for 3 p.m. (PDT).

Bearcats and Blues Combine for 45 Hits in Game 1

Whitman won the first game 25-16 with a slim 23-22 edge in hits. Willamette belted seven extra-base hits, including one triple and four homers. The Blues earned nine extra-base hits with one triple and one homer. Despite the offensive success for both teams, only one error was recorded, a miscue by Whitman at second base in the fourth inning.

In the first half-inning of the day, Willamette scored one run on a two-out homer by Ethan Fischel (Sr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS). In the bottom of the first, Whitman's 10 runs were achieved with six hits, four walks, and two hit batters. Key hits were a two-run homer by Ben Parker, an RBI double by Teague Conder for a 3-0 lead, and a two-run double by Beck Maguire to complete the inning.

The Blues added three runs in the second inning on an RBI single by Michael Doyle and a two-RBI double by Garrett Runyan. Willamette answered with three runs in the top of the third and two runs in the fourth to reduce the margin to 13-6. Jonny Suchor (Jr., INF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) walked to open the third and Fischel blasted his second homer of the day. Samuel Daly (Jr., OF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) tacked on an RBI single. In the fourth, Trey Topping (Fy., C, Valencia, CA/West Ranch HS) and Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/UT, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) each hit an RBI single.

Four runs for Whitman in the bottom of the fourth gave the Blues a 17-6 advantage. WU outscored Whitman 10-8 the rest of the way. The Blues tallied seven runs in the sixth inning and the Bearcats plated seven runs in the seventh.

Topping finished 5 for 5 at the plate for Willamette. Fischel was 3 for 5 with a double, two homers, three runs scored, and five RBIs. Jeff Hoffman (So., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) finished 3 of 5 with a three-run homer in the seventh. Ryan Whithorn (Grad., 2B, Claremont, CA/The Webb School/Chaffey College) went 3 of 4 and scored two runs. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) belted a home run and Rocco Granucci (Fy., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) hit a double.

For the Blues, Conder went 5 for 6 with a double, two runs, and four RBIs. Maguire was 4 for 6 with a double, two runs, and five RBIs. Parker ended the game 3 of 4 with a homer, a double, five runs, and three RBIs.

Suchor Hits a Double and a Triple for Willamette in Game 2

The Bearcats led 3-1 in the middle of the second inning in game two. Whitman responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the second, and then tacked on two runs in each of the next two innings, to grab an 8-3 advantage after four innings. WU cut the margin to 8-7 in the top of the fifth, before the Blues pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Suchor, who pounded a double and a triple during the game, hit his triple to left field with one out in the first inning. Fischel followed with an RBI ground out toward shortstop. In the second inning, Willamette broke a 1-1 tie with sacrifice flies to left by Granucci and Werkmeister-Martin.

Whitman tallied three runs in the bottom of the second for a 4-3 lead after taking advantage of three hits and two errors. Mateus Conaway hit an RBI single, while two runs scored when Brandon Ting hit into an error at third base. After the Blues added two runs in the third stanza, Matthew Cho belted a two-run homer to left in the fourth inning.

Willamette's four-run outburst in the fifth inning featured an RBI double by Suchor, who later went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball. Hoffman supplied an RBI single toward shortstop and Wagner hit a double to left to bring home the fourth run. In the bottom of the fifth, one of Whitman's three runs was scored on an RBI double by Jack Bickerton.

Suchor was 2 of 4 for the Bearcats with a double, a triple, two runs, and an RBI. Hoffman also went 2 of 4 with two runs and an RBI. Conaway of Whitman was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Cho finished 2 of 3 with a homer, three runs, and two RBIs. Starter Jack Hostetler, 1-1, was the winning pitcher for the Blues, as he struck out four batters and walked three Bearcats in four innings. WU starter Pruitt Spritzer (Jr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep) fell to 0-1.