Bearcats Take Two from SUNY Oneonta on Saturday to Start Season 4-0

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

SALEM, Ore. – The Willamette University baseball team hosted a doubleheader with visiting SUNY Oneonta (New York) for the second straight day at John Lewis Field on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Bearcats mirrored their performance on Friday, winning big, 10-0, in the opener on the run rule in seven innings, and then coming out on top in a tough 8-7 battle in the nightcap to improve to 4-0 on the season. SUNY Oneonta slipped to 0-4 overall.

Big Inning Gives Bearcats Third Straight Win to Start the Season

Much like the opening game on Friday, the Bearcats used some hot bats, scoring six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to stretch the lead to 10-0. Earlier in the game, WU put two runs on the board in the second inning and one each in third and fourth.

Willamette capitalized on a pair of walks and an error to score twice in the second inning. Clint Walker (Gr., INF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin) walked and stole second and Nate Hamburger (So., OF, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS) reached on a walk as well to set up a scoring opportunity for the Bearcats. Charlie Ferbet (Sr., INF, St. Louis, MO/De Smet Jesuit HS) singled in Walker and Hamburger came around on an error to put Willamette on the board.

Tassos Foster (Sr., IF, Novato, CA/Novato HS) led-off the third inning with a single and the Bearcats loaded the bases to set up a sacrifice fly from Layton Wagner (Gr., RHP/1B, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) to make the score 3-0. Another error in the fourth led to another Willamette run as Caden Davis (So., C/1B, Everett, WA/Henry M. Jackson HS) came around to score after a single from Foster led to an Oneonta miscue and a 4-0 lead.

The Bearcats plated six runs in the fifth inning to force the 10-run rule, ending the game after seven innings for the second time in the series. Walker started the inning with a walk and a stolen base before Oneonta recorded a pair of outs. The two outs did not phase the Bearcats as Ferbet came through with an RBI single.

Foster added an RBI single and Rocco Granucci (Jr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) drew a bases loaded walk to drive in another run, stretching the margin to 7-0. Wagner then cleared the bases with a double down the left field run, adding three RBI to his stat line, extending the lead to 10-0.

Sophomore left-hander EJ McGrew (Oakland, CA/St. Mary's College Prep) had a strong start, going six innings to earn the win. He recorded seven strikeouts and held the Red Dragons to just five hits. Rookie right-hander Nate Schikore (Fy., RHP, Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriquez HS) came on to close in the seventh, booking three consecutive strikeouts to end the game.

Foster went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI while Wagner drove in four runs to go with his base clearing double. Walker took advantage of three walks to score twice and Ferbet went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in the opener.

Lawson Homers Twice to Lead Bearcats to 4-0 Start

Oneonta jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2. Three straight walks and a wild pitch put the visitors on the scoreboard. The Dragons loaded the bases again and scored another run on a hit batter. Ethan Duda drove in a pair to close out the top half of the inning.

Willamette answered right away, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Foster started things off with a double and later came across the plate on a single from Wagner. Two runs came in on a single off the bat of Carl Lawson (Sr., OF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS) to quickly cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Bearcats pulled even in the second inning. Drew Baskin (Jr., INF, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) walked and stole second to set up an RBI single for Lawson, knotting the score 4-4.

Oneonta regained the lead with the help of a pair of Willamette errors in the fourth inning. They scored a pair of unearned runs with hits from Joey Dwyer and Logan Hutter to go up 6-4. Willamette loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but was unable to produce any runs.

The Bearcats did answer in the fifth to tie the game 6-6. Wagner hit a two-out double and came in to score as Lawson launched a two-run homer, giving him his third hit of the nightcap.

The Bearcats turned a double-play in the sixth before back-to-back doubles from Sean Liquori and Matt Sandoval gave the Red Dragons a 7-6 advantage.

Lawson unloaded another two-run bomb in the bottom of the seventh, scoring Baskin, who reached on a single, to put the Bearcats back on top, 8-6. Willamette received strong pitching from the bullpen as Samuel Daly (Gr., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) came on in the top of the seventh and recorded four strikeouts in two innings of relief. Brady Joyner (Sr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) closed in the ninth with three consecutive strikeouts to give Willamette a sweep for the second straight day.

Lawson led the way with his two home runs, finishing 4-for-5 with six RBI and two runs scored. Baskin went 2-for-3, scoring three runs while Foster, Wagner, and Walker each had two hits for the Bearcats.

Willamette's pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts in the game. Pruitt Spritzer (Gr., RHP, Missouri City, TX/Strake Jesuit College Prep) tossed three innings in the start before Nate Schikore (Fy., RHP, Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriguez HS) came on for three innings, then Daly pitched two innings, and Joyner closed.

The Bearcats open Northwest Conference play next weekend. They travel to Lewis & Clark on Saturday, March 2 for a doubleheader with the first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. PST.