Foster Smacks a Three-Run Homer as Bearcats Roll Past North Central 18-3

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS) went 3 for 6 with a three-run homer and seven RBIs to lead Willamette University, as the Bearcats pounded North Central College, 18-3, on Friday, April 12 at Zimmerman Stadium. Foster's three hits were matched by Wyatt Thames (Jr., OF, Elk Grove, CA/Huntington Beach HS/Biola University), who was 3 of 4, and by Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS), who went 3 for 5. Willamette advanced its record to 20-6, while the Cardinals fell to 8-15.

Foster and Thames each scored four runs for the Bearcats, while Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS) crossed the plate three times. Willamette registered 15 hits.

North Central committed seven errors. Willamette played errorless defense.

Jackson Bland of North Central was 3 of 4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Three Willamette pitchers combined to hold NCC to seven hits.

WU starter Pruitt Spritzer, 2-0, pitched six innings and allowed five hits and three runs. He earned two strikeouts and gave up four walks. He owns a 4.22 earned run average this year. Nate Schikore (Fy., RHP, Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriguez HS) pitched two scoreless innings. JD Willis (Jr., LHP, Chandler, AZ/Perry HS) did not allow a hit or a run in the ninth.

The Bearcats scored the game's first eight runs with three in the first inning, four in the second, and one in the third. The game started with Foster hitting a single. He went to second on a wild pitch and reached third on a single by Hoffman. Rocco Granucci (Jr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. One out later, Foster scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B/LF, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/UC Davis) belted a two-run double down the left field line.

In the second inning, WU scored its four runs on two hits and two errors. Thames opened the stanza with a walk and a stolen base. Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS) also walked and Thames stole third. Foster hit into a fielder's choice, as Thames scored and Stoltz was thrown out at second.

After Foster stole second base, Hoffman hit an RBI double to left center. Granucci reached base on an error as Hoffman went to third. Hoffman scored on a throwing error when Granucci stole second. Grannuci advanced to third, and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Thames gave the Bearcats an 8-0 lead when he scored in the third inning. Thames walked, went to second and third o a wild pickoff throw, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Stoltz. North Central cut the margin to 8-2 in the bottom of the third when Joe Hamilton and Trey Roach walked with one out and scored on a two-out double by Bland.

The Cardinals produced a run in the fourth inning with two walks and a sacrifice bunt, plus a sacrifice fly by Luke Lehnen. Jack Oberli, who walked to start the inning, scored the run.

Willamette expanded its lead to 11-3 on Foster's three-run homer to left field in the top of the fifth. Thames and Stoltz also scored. The Bearcats tacked on two runs in the seventh for a 13-3 edge, then added one run in the eighth and four runs in the ninth.

Key hits for WU in the final three innings were a two-run single by Hoffman in the seventh, a sacrifice fly from Foster in the eighth, plus an RBI double by Charlie Ferbet (Sr., INF, St. Louis, MO/De Smet Jesuit HS) and an RBI single by Stoltz in the ninth. Foster reached base on a dropped fly ball in center field with two outs in the ninth, allowing Thames and Stoltz to score.

Willamette will take on North Central in two games on Saturday, April 13. The doubleheader is set to begin at 12 p.m. CDT /  10 a.m. PDT. The Bearcats will play Concordia University Chicago on Sunday, April 14. First pitch in Chicago, Illinois, is scheduled for 12 p.m. CDT / 10 a.m. PDT.