Hamburger Has Three Hits as Bearcats Fall in Series Finale at Whitworth

Spokane, Wash. - After splitting a pair of one-run games on Saturday, Willamette Baseball had a game they would like to soon forget on Sunday in the final game of their series with Whitworth University.  The Pirates scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and went on to defeat the Bearcats 17-2.  Nate Hamburger had three hits, scored one run, and drove in another to lead the Bearcat offense on the afternoon.

Whitworth had scored runs in the opening inning of both games on Saturday, but nothing like the seven they put on the board on Sunday.  The Pirates put the first five runners on base on three singles, an error, and a hit batsman to score the first two runs.  After another run scored as the Bearcats turned a double play, Whitworth brought home four more runs on a double and three consecutive singles to take a 7-0 lead.

Hamburger got one run back for Willamette in the top of the second when he singled home Trevor Sostman, who had walked and then advanced to second on a single by Liam O'Connor, but the Pirates followed with one of their own in the bottom of the inning and added three more in the fourth to pull ahead 11-1.  

The Bearcats threatened in the fifth when Hamburger led off with a single and advanced to third on a double by Rocco Granucci, but Willamette was only able to score one run on a Charlie Ferbet groundout and Whitworth responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and four more in the sixth to win the game 17-2.

Granucci's double was the only extra base hit for Willamette on the day, as O'Connor and Preston Lau each had a single, and Hamburger had three singles.  

Willamette's next game is a non-conference matchup with Corban University on Tuesday, April 8th, at Volcanoes Stadium.  The first pitch for that game has been moved to 7:00 pm to accommodate a high school game taking place earlier that day.