PORTLAND, Ore. – Lewis & Clark College baseball was limited to just three hits as the Pioneers dropped the rubber match of their Northwest Conference series against Whitworth University, falling 12-3 on Sunday afternoon at
Jerry Gatto Field.
THE BASICS
Whitworth 12, Lewis & Clark 3
(Lewis & Clark 6-6, 2-4 NWC)
(Whitworth 12-6, 3-3 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Seniors
Justin Cavagnaro and
Brennen Davis provided two of the Pioneers' three hits and all three RBI. Cavagnaro hit a two-run double down the right-field line in the bottom of the sixth.
Davis launched his third home run of the season in the eighth inning, sending the ball over the left-field fence for his first homer at home this year.
The Pioneers were hitless until the sixth inning as Whitworth's Quentin O'Conner delivered a complete-game performance, allowing just three hits while striking out four. Senior
Luke Ritter (1-1) took the loss for Lewis & Clark, surrendering six runs over four innings and striking out two.
Whitworth took an early lead with a run in the first inning and another in the second before breaking the game open with back-to-back home runs in a four-run fourth inning. The Pirates added two more runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to build a 10-0 advantage.
Lewis & Clark finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. After junior
Joaquin Sandoval was hit by a pitch, senior
Will Heron ended O'Conner's no-hit bid with a single through the right side for the Pioneers' first hit of the game. Cavagnaro followed with a two-run double down the right-field line to cut the deficit to 10-2.
Davis made it 10-3 in the eighth with a solo home run to left-center, the 23rd of his career.
Whitworth tacked on two unearned runs in the ninth on an error and an RBI double to reach the final margin of 12-3.
O'Conner (3-1) retired 12 consecutive Lewis & Clark batters from the second through the sixth innings and did not issue a walk in his complete-game effort.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Five Lewis & Clark relievers saw action, with senior Ryan Harvey, first-year Matt Stanislavsky, and sophomores Shane Buchbinder, Felix Gibeault and Connor Broschard each throwing an inning. Buchbinder had the best outing, retiring the side in order in the seventh.
- Davis' home run was the first allowed by O'Conner this season.
- Cavagnaro recorded multiple RBI in back-to-back games for the second time this season. He leads the team with 16 RBI, a .400 batting average and six doubles.
WHO'S NEXT
The Pioneers travel to Walla Walla, Washington, to face Whitman College in a Northwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 22. First pitch is scheduled for noon.