Bearcats Drop Two Close Contests at Lewis & Clark

PORTLAND, Ore. — Willamette University (8-25, 4-16 NWC) faced Lewis & Clark College (19-16, 12-8 NWC) in a doubleheader on Saturday at Jerry Gatto Field, suffering two narrow defeats with final scores of 13-7 and 10-9.

In the first game, Willamette got off to a strong start, scoring six runs in the first three innings, including a home run. However, the momentum quickly shifted as Lewis & Clark capitalized on an eight-run second inning, which proved decisive. This inning featured a mix of timely hitting, including a two-run single and a pair of doubles, alongside Willamette's miscues, allowing Lewis & Clark to seize the lead.

Despite being down, Willamette showed resilience in the third inning with a four-run rally highlighted by Jason Smith's two-run homer, an RBI single from Carter Stoltz, and aggressive baserunning that saw Nate Hamburger steal home. However, their comeback attempt was halted in the fourth inning, where they failed to register a hit.

In the final inning of the first game, Michon Cole and Finn Hoover tried to reignite the offense with a walk and a double, respectively, setting the stage for Hamburger's RBI single. Unfortunately, the early deficit remained too large, and the Bearcats left two runners stranded as they closed out the game.

Jason Smith led the offensive charge with a home run and two RBIs, while Michon Cole contributed two RBIs and a walk. Brandon Goodell pitched four innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit. Nate Hamburger had two hits, scored once, and stole a base. Nate Schikore took the loss for Willamette, allowing 12 hits and nine earned runs over four innings, while Lewis & Clark's Owen Eisen earned the win with a solid six-inning performance.

In the second game, Willamette surged to an early 6-5 lead after the second inning, again highlighted by a home run. However, Lewis & Clark countered with a three-run third inning and secured the win with a crucial run in the ninth, driven in by Michael Aikawa's RBI single. This final run was set up by Evyn Lewis' walk and subsequent advances on a hit-by-pitch and a fielder's choice.

Willamette capitalized on a Lewis & Clark miscue in the second inning, where Matthew Rienhardt's speed on the bases helped set up Luca Penteriani's RBI single. This was followed by a wild pitch and a walk, leading to Carter Stoltz's pivotal two-run double that temporarily gave the Bearcats the lead. A late RBI single from Michon Cole in the eighth brought in Nate Hamburger, but Willamette could not maintain their momentum.

Nate Hamburger had an impressive performance, crossing home plate three times with two walks and a stolen base. Jason Smith again made his mark with a home run, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Carter Stoltz contributed two hits, including a double, and collected two RBIs, while Luca Penteriani had two hits and three RBIs.

Roman Mahler pitched 4 2/3 innings for Willamette, allowing one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts but was charged with the loss. Elliot Hsu started, yielding eight earned runs over 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. For Lewis & Clark, Matt Stanislavsky earned the win with a strong two-inning relief appearance, and Sam Burchi struck out seven over four innings despite allowing six runs.

The Bearcats, now with an 8-25 overall record and a 4-16 conference standing, continue to seek improvement in the NWC as Lewis & Clark improves to 19-16 and 12-8 in conference play.