GOODYEAR, Ariz. - While the George Fox University campus in Newberg, Ore., was reeling under several inches of snow, the Bruin baseball team got the 2014 season going by plowing under the Whittier College Poets 13-1 in the first game of the Arizona Desert Classic Friday afternoon here at the Desert Edge High School field.
Ace right-hander Clay Gartner picked up the season-opening victory, allowing six hits but only one run in six innings while striking out two and walking three. One shutout inning apiece by Connor Harris, Ian Buckles, and Nathan Higa completed the win.
"Clay wasn't as sharp in this first game as he will be, but he battled and got out of jams with some big pitches when he needed them," observed head coach Marty Hunter. "He stranded eight runners through his six innings and gave our bats a chance to wake up. We allowed 10 hits but only one run - they left 13 on base - which doesn't happen often."
The Bruins scored in the top of the 1st on a lead-off double by Matthew Zeller, a sacrifice by Derek Blankenship, and a sacrifice fly to right by Josh Rapacz. The Poets tied it in the 3rd, and out-hit the Bruins 5-3 through the first five innings.
George Fox finally got the sticks going in the 6th against Whittier southpaw Nick Garcia (0-1). The tie-breaking run came in when Danny Clifford reached on an error at short that scored Rapacz from third. Following a double by Zach Rapacz, Josh's younger brother, Clay Mott singled in Clifford, and Zac Israel drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run as the Bruins took a 4-1 lead.
George Fox added two more runs in the 7th, then broke the game wide open with a seven-spot in the 8th. The big hit of the inning was a two-run single by Zach Rapacz, who finished with three RBIs. Josh Rapacz, Clifford, and Mott all had two RBIs, while the Rapaczes, Blankenship, Clifford, Derek Dixon, and Zach Hegelmeyer had two hits apiece. The Bruins collected 15 hits in all, 12 in the final four innings.
NEXT: George Fox (1-0) plays two games Saturday in the Arizona Desert Classic, both at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Ariz. The Bruins will take on the University of Redlands Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (9:00 a.m. Pacific) and the University of La Verne Leopards at 1:30 p.m. MST (12:30 p.m. PST) … Whittier (0-2) was to play Whitman College later Friday at 5:00 p.m. in Goodyear, then take on Pacific Lutheran University Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Anthem, Ariz.
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