McMINNVILLE, Ore.- An ejection for Head Coach Greg Bradley proved to provide the spark the Pacific offense needed as they took an 11-4 victory over No. 9 ranked Linfield to take the final game of their three-game Northwest Conference baseball series at Roy Helser Field.
Bradley was ejected in the top of the second when he argued a call with home plate umpire Brian Phillips. The explosion from the coach seemed to fuel an explosion for the Boxers' offense, which rattled off five runs in the frame to take a commanding lead. Pacific (8-5, 4-2 NWC) went on to score two three runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the sixth.
Mike Nagamine (Jr., Aiea, Hawaii) led Pacific by going 2 for 3 with three runs batted in, a double and two runs, while Nate Rasmussen (Jr., Sandy, Utah) also went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three runs scored. Kevin Schwartz (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) also had two hits and two RBIs.
The ejection of Bradley was the jump off point for the five-run second. Rasmussen opened the frame with a double and, two batter later, Nagamine singled him home with a line shot to left field. Trux French (So., Kennewick, Wash.) scored on a double play and Travis Koon (Fr., Salem, Ore.) kept the inning alive with a double to right that scored Nagamine.
That double knocked starter Chris Mueller from the game, but Jared Van Hoon (Jr., Lake Owego, Ore.) greeted reliever Spencer Crepeaux with a two-run single to left that capped the five-run barrage.
Michael Arakaki (So., Mililani, Hawaii) opened the Boxers' three-run third with a sharp hit single to shortstop, scoring Nagamine. Schwartz followed with a two-run double that plated Arakaki and Scott Rowland (Sr., Salem, Ore.). Pacific then added two in the fourth on a Nagamine ground out and a single by Chad Fahey (Jr., Keizer, Ore.) that scored Rasmussen.
Linfield (8-4, 2-1 NWC) scored their first two runs in the fifth on a RBI single by Tim Wilson and a bases loaded walk. The Boxers added one more run in the sixth on a RBI single by Nagamine. The Wildcats scored their final two runs in the ninth, when the game was well in hand for the Boxers.
Rob Dittrick (So., Mililani, Hawaii) earned his third straight victory of the season to improve to 3-1. Dittrick allowed two runs on five hits with three walks while striking out six. Van Hoon picked up his team leading third save of the season, allowing two runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in three innings. Mueller fell to 2-2 for the Wildcats in the loss, allowing five runs on three hits with a walk in 1.2 innings of work. Wilson led Linfield at the plate by going 2 for 3 with one RBI.
Pacific returns home for four games this week. The Boxers will host Lewis & Clark in a non-conference game on Wednesday before hosting George Fox for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.