Box Score

FOREST GROVE – Pacific turned in it's best offensive game in nearly three weeks in their home finale Sunday, but in the end it still came down to a manufactured run in the 11th inning for the Boxers to pull out the 6-5 win over Whitworth in Northwest Conference baseball action at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.

The Boxers' (21-12-1, 14-7 NWC) 12 hits were their most since amassing 18 hits in a 9-9, 11-inning tie with Menlo on Mar. 27. Pacific led 5-1 after six innings before the Pirates (16-18, 9-9 NWC) scored one in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth to force extra innings. Nick Tasaka (So., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii) scored the winning run when he singled to open the 11th and plated on a wild pitch.

Kevin Schwartz (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) led Pacific by going 4 for 6 with two runs and a run batted in. Jared Van Hoon (Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore.), Logan Moen (So., Brier, Wash.) and Tasaka each tallied two hits. Michael Takemura led a 16-hit day for Whitworth by going 5 for 5 with two RBIs and a run.

Pacific opened things up early against Pirates' starter Michael Taylor, scoring two in the first a two-run double by Nate Rasmussen (Jr., Sandy, Utah), his 15th of the season. JR Jarrell opened the second by reaching on an error and halved the lead when he came around on Takemura's double.

The Boxers came right back to score two in the home half of the second. Travis Koon (Fr., Salem, Ore.) and Tasaka singled to open the frame. Koon scored Van Hoon's single to center field and Tasaka plated on a single by Schwartz. Pacific made it a 5-1 lead in the fifth as Schwartz singled to lead off the innings and scored on Mike Nagamine's (Jr., Aiea, Hawaii) sacrifice fly.

Whitworth cut the lead to 5-2 in the seventh when Takemura singled and scored on a double by Kevin Valerio. The Pirates brought it to within one in the eighth on a RBI single by Takemura, his fourth hit of the day, and a sacrifice fly by Nathan Johnson. Valerio was hit by Pacific reliever Van Hoon to open the ninth inning, stole second and tied the game on a single to right by Jarrell. Closer Dan Wolfe (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.) then entered and coaxed Pfeffer into the inning-ending double play.

Pacific put a runner on second base in the ninth and a runner on third in the 10th against Johnson, but could not bring either runner around to score. Tasaka opened the 11th with a single through the right side, and Van Hoon moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Schwartz sent Tasaka to third with a sharply hit single to shortstop. Johnson had worked to a one ball, one strike count against Anson Arakaki (So., Hilo, Hawaii) when he threw a pitch to the backstop that brought Tasaka home for the win.

Rasmussen earned the win in relief for the Boxers, improving to 2-0 on the season. He allowed two hits and struck out two in two innings of work. Pacific starter Chad Fahey (Jr., Keizer, Ore.) allowed four runs, three earned, on 12 hits with a walk and two strikeouts in seven innings. Johnson took the loss in long relief for Whitworth, falling to 4-4. He allowed one run on three hits with three walks and a strikeout in 4.1 innings.

Pacific honored three seniors before the game. In addition to the closer Wolfe, starting catcher Scott Rowland (Sr., Salem, Ore.) and reliever Jayson Fukumoto (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) were recognized.

Pacific will play their final five scheduled games on the road. The Boxers travel to Salem for a non-conference tilt with Willamette on Tuesday before playing Concordia (Ore.) on Wednesday at Joe Etzel Field. The Boxers close their NWC schedule next weekend with a three-game series at Puget Sound.