Bearcats Pound 20 Hits, Joyner Earns Ninth Save, in 11-8 Win over Loggers

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University accumulated 20 hits, including home runs by Ethan Fischel (Grad., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) and Drew Baskin (So., 2B, Eagle, ID/Arroyo Grande HS), as the Bearcats defeated the University of Puget Sound 11-8 at John Lewis Field on Sunday, April 30. WU closer Brady Joyner (Jr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and registered his ninth save of the year.

With the win, Willamette increased its record to 22-14. Puget Sound fell to 19-15 on the season.

Fischel has hit six homers this season and has pounded out 28 home runs in his career, placing him fifth on Willamette's all-time list. Baskin belted his fourth homer of the year.

The nine saves earned by Joyner place him third on Willamette's single season list. He trails Chris Hopton, who registered 10 saves in 1993, and Mike Corey, who produced 10 saves in 1994. Joyner has achieved 18 career saves, which place him second all-time at Willamette. Corey holds the school record with 23 saves from 1994-98.

Willamette took a 5-0 lead in the first two innings and held a 9-4 edge after five innings. Puget Sound eventually cut the margin to 9-8 with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.

Joyner entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh. He struck out the first batter he faced, then forced the next batter to fly out, as the Loggers left the bases loaded. WU added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, and tacked on another run in the eighth. Joyner faced just three batters in the top of the ninth.

The Bearcats scored the game's first two runs in the bottom of the first. Fischel hit a double to right center with one out. He went to third on a flyout by Jeff Hoffman (Jr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) and scored on a single through the left side by Rocco Granucci (So., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS). Jonny Suchor (Sr., OF, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) singled, which sent Granucci to third. Granucci crossed the plate on a double steal.

In the second stanza, Willamette plated three runs with two outs. Joshua Murphy (Jr., C, Everett, WA/Cascade HS/Olympic College) began the sequence with a single through the left side. He went to second on an errant pickoff throw by the catcher, and scored on a single by Carl Lawson (Jr., RF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona). Fischel batted next and hit a two-run homer to left field. Puget Sound pulled within 5-3 in the top of the third on a three-run homer by Gabe Huante.

WU answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Granucci walked and Suchor singled, both runners stole a base, and Baskin hit a two-RBI single. In the fourth, the Loggers added an RBI double by Huante. The Bearcats grabbed a 9-4 lead in the fifth. Fischel drove in Murphy with a single, and Lawson scored when Fischel was caught in a run-down.

Puget Sound tallied a pair of runs in the sixth, as Huante belted a two-run double. The Loggers also scored twice in the seventh to pull within 9-8. WU's next run was scored by Baskin in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homer. The Bearcats also plated a run in the eighth, when Granucci scored on a single by Tassos Foster (So., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS).

Relief pitcher Logan Haslam (Jr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS), who entered the game with two outs in the third inning, tossed nine outs and moved to 3-1 with the win. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- and gave up five hits, while earning two strikeouts with no walks.

Willamette held a 20-14 advantage in hits. Fischel connected for three-fourths of the cycle and was 4 for 5 with two singles, a double, and a homer. He also scored twice and earned three RBIs. Murphy was 4 for 4, with two runs scored. Baskin went 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs. Granucci was 2 of 4 with a double, three runs, and an RBI.

Huante was 3 of 5 on offense for Puget Sound with a home run, two doubles, and six RBIs. Dylan Joyce and Joshua Carrillo each recorded two hits.

The Bearcats will take on Occidental College (Calif.) in a three-game, non-conference series next weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, May 6 starting at 12 p.m. (PDT) before concluding the series with one game on Sunday, May 7 at 12 p.m.