SALEM, Ore. – Two weeks without a game did little to slow down Pacific Sunday as a grand slam by Kevin Schwartz (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) keyed a seven-run third inning that propelled the Boxers past Willamette 13-5 in Northwest Conference baseball action at John Lewis Field.
 
Schwartz's slam, the first home run of his Pacific career, was the second homer in the inning, preceded by Mike Nagamine's (Sr., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii) two-run shot. The homers punctuated a game-deciding frame that saw the Boxers pound out seven runs on seven hits and build all the cushion they would need for their fifth straight win.
 
It was Pacific's first game since a Mar. 18 home contest against Lewis & Clark, with four non-conference games since canceled due to weather or scheduling difficulties.  The win allowed the Boxers to extend their narrow lead over Pacific Lutheran in NWC standings by a half-game.  The Boxers sit at 11-9 overall, 8-2 NWC, while the Lutes are 17-8, 9-3 NWC.  Willamette dropped to 8-16, 5-8 NWC.
 
This was the first game of the three-game NWC series and was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday.  The second game of the twinbill was called off to unplayable field conditions.  The final two games of the set will take place on Monday, 4 p.m., with the location changed to Chuck Bafaro Stadium in Forest Grove.  As Willamette was the original home team, they will bat as the home team in both games.  The change, however, means that Pacific will play 14 of their first 15 NWC games on their home field.
 
Pacific knocked 16 hits in the contest, led by Schwartz who went 3 for 5 with the home run and five runs batted in.  Jared Van Hoon (Sr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) also went 3 for 5 with a doubles, two runs and a RBI, while Nate Rasmussen (Sr., Sandy, Utah) had two doubles and two RBI.  Every Boxer starter with the exception of pitcher Rob Dittrick (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii) had at least one hit.
 
Schwartz opened scoring in the first when he singled to open the game and advanced to second on a throwing error.  He then scored on Van Hoon's single to shortstop.  Tyson Giza tied it for Willamette in the home half of the frame when he doubled and later scored on a single to left by Tiras Koon.  The Boxers made it a 2-1 game in the second as Nagamine led off with a single and scored on a Donnie Bradley (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) sacrifice fly.
 
Van Hoon started Pacific's seven-run third inning when he laid down a bunt single.  He proceeded to steal second and was brought home by the first of Rasmussen's two doubles.  Nagamine followed with his two-run shot to left field, his second of the year and just the fourth of the season for the Boxers.  Michael Arakaki (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii), Jordan Siu (Jr., Redmond, Wash.) and Bradley all singled to set the table for Schwartz, who hammered his grand slam to left.
 
Giza got one run back for the Bearcats in the bottom of the third when he scored on a double by Koon, but the Boxers replied with back-to-back doubles by Van Hoon and Rasmussen to score one in the fourth.  Mitch Rowan made it a 10-4 game in the fifth with his two-run homer to left center field, his sixth of the year.
 
Pacific added single runs in the sixth, seventh and ninth.  Nick Tasaka (Jr., Hawaii Kai) scored in the sixth on a single up the middle by Chad Fahey (Sr., Keizer, Ore.).  Bradley added one in the seventh when he was hit by a pitch with two out and scored on Schwartz's single.  Trux French (Jr., Kennewick, Wash.) tallied one in the ninth when he walked to lead off the frame and scored on a fielder's choice ground out. 
 
Willamette added one in the bottom of the ninth when pinch-hitter Bryan Afzali reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Galen Duff.
 
Dittrick earned his fifth straight win for the Boxers, allowing four runs on nine hits with a walk and nine strikeouts in seven innings of work.  Quin Moore (So., Bellingham, Wash.) pitched the final two innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit with one strikeout.  Starter Brandon Simon dropped to 3-3 for the Bearcats, allowing nine runs, eight earned, on 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout in three innings.
 
Giza led Willamette offensively by going 3 for 4 with three runs scored.  Rowan and Koon each had two hits and two RBI.