Bearcat Baseball Wins NWC Tournament, Qualifies for NCAA Regional
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University baseball team put together an outstanding season in 2024. The Bearcats placed second in the Northwest Conference in the regular season, won the NWC Tournament Championship, and qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament. Willamette was 29-16 overall, including 15-9 in the NWC, one game out of first place. It was the first season at Willamette for Head Coach Mike Coduto.
Willamette was one of four teams that qualified for the NWC Tournament in Walla Walla, Washington. The Bearcats went 3-0 with three strong games.
In the opener against Whitworth University, Layton Wagner (Grad., RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) pitched a complete-game five-hitter, as the Bearcats won 5-1. Wagner struck out 11 batters to become Willamette's leader in career strikeouts. He extended his record to 272 strikeouts with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament and finished his career ranked fifth at Willamette with 22 wins.
Willamette followed up with a 6-3 win over NWC regular season champion Whitman College. The Bearcats rallied from a 2-0 deficit with five runs in the eighth inning and one run in the ninth. Drew Baskin (Jr., SS, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) smacked a three-run homer that gave WU a 4-2 lead. Brady Joyner (Sr., RHP, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) picked up his sixth save of the year, extending his school record to 25 career saves.
In the Bearcats' third NWC Tournament win, Willamette outscored Whitworth, 8-4. Jeff Hoffman (Sr., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) belted a two-run homer for a 3-2 lead in the fifth, and Rocco Granucci (Jr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) hit solo homer for a 5-3 lead in the seventh. The Bearcats added three runs in the eighth.
The Bearcats fell to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.) in a best-of-five NCAA Regional series in Claremont, California. Willamette won the first game 13-8, as Joshua Murphy (Sr., C, Everett, WA/Cascade HS/Olympic College) blasted a solo home run to start an 8-run sixth inning. The Bearcats led 13-2 and the Sagehens added six runs in the final three innings. Wagner improved to 10-3 with the win. Pomona-Pitzer claimed the next three games to take the series.
Granucci hit a two-run homer in the second game of the series, while Clint Walker (Grad., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) tripled, and Foster doubled. Granucci smacked a three-run homer to tie the third game in the top of the ninth inning. Also in the third game, Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/UC Davis) pounded a double.
In the fourth game, Piazza smacked a three-run homer on his way to scoring three runs and earning five RBIs. Baskin, Granucci, and Carl Lawson (Sr., OF, Whittier, CA/Lutheran HS/Cal Poly Pomona) each hit a double for the Bearcats.
Other Highlights of the Season
The Bearcats hit .296 for the year, with 90 doubles, seven triples, and 49 home runs, while averaging 8.1 runs per game.
Willamette earned a .410 team on-base percentage after recording 461 hits, walking 236 times and being hit by 86 pitches.
The pitching staff achieved a 4.47 team earned run average with 379 strikeouts in 395 innings.
Willamette turned a triple play on May 6 against Whitman. Tassos Foster (Sr., 2B, Novato, CA/Novato HS) caught a low line-drive, tagged second base, and threw to first base.
First Team All-Northwest Conference selections were Wagner and Clint Walker (Grad., CF, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS). Second Team All-NWC honors went to Foster, Hoffman, and Logan Haslam (Sr., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS). Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition was received by Carter Stoltz (Fy., C, Davis, CA/Davis HS), Luke Piazza (Jr., 1B, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/UC Davis), Baskin, Steven Verespey (So., RHP, San Ramon, CA/California HS), and Joyner.
Foster was named Second Team All-Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and was chosen Third Team All-Region by D3baseball.com. Hoffman and Wagner were named Third Team All-Region by the ABCA.