FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Lewis & Clark College baseball earned their first program win in the Northwest Conference Tournament, and first post-season win since 1992 with a 10-4 rout of Willamette University in the first round as junior pitcher Brett Pierson earned the victory on the mound pitching seven complete innings with four runs on seven hits and the offense had six extra-base hits.
 
THE BASICS
Lewis & Clark 10, Willamette 4
(Lewis & Clark 27-10, 15-9 NWC)
(Opponent 20-12, 15-9 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The top of the order produced from the start as seniors Jack Savant and Jack Thomson and sophomore Brennen Davis hit a single, double, and an RBI single to put the Pioneers up 1-0 after one. Davis' single was hit right back at the pitcher and bounced off his shoulder to third base to score Savant.  
 
The second inning was just as successful, as senior Dylan Moore doubled to left center before junior Jakob Ghammachi hit the ball back to the mound and hit Bearcat's pitcher, Layton Wagner, to earn the single and advance Moore. It was the second time in as many innings that a Lewis & Clark batter hit Wagner to get on base. Moore then stole home as the Bearcats had a failed attempt to pick off Ghammachi stealing second. Back-to-back, one-out singles to the outfield by sophomore Justin Cavagnaro and freshman Brandon Gonzaga added another run. Thomson then reached on an RBI fielder's choice to put the Pioneers up 4-0 after two innings.
 
Pierson gave up one hit in the first three innings before Willamette pulled within 4-3 in the fourth inning. The Bearcats then tied the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
Pierson grounded out the first two batters in the top of the sixth inning. Willamette's Drew Baskin then sent a high long ball to left field. Ghammachi chased the ball to the fence and made a leaping catch into the wall to end the inning.
 
Ghammachi followed up the great defensive play with a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the inning, putting the Pioneers on top 5-4.
 
Wagner walked the first two Pioneers in the bottom of the seventh, prompting a pitching change from the Bearcats. Moore loaded the bases with a bunt single. With one out, Cavagnaro cleared the bases with a double to left center to stretch the lead to 8-4. Savant singled to left-center two batters later and scored Cavagnaro. Thomson then hit his second double of the day to score Savant and extend the lead to six.
 
Senior reliever Brayden Nomura closed out the final two innings for the Pioneers on the mound with three hits and no runs.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Lewis & Clark's last playoff win was a 14-3 victory over Willamette on May 8, 1992 in the NAIA District 2 Baseball Tournament.
• Pierson is 2-0 against Willamette this season; in 14.2 innings, he has given up 11 hits and five runs, while throwing 234 pitches between the two games.
• Cavagnaro broke a four-game hitless streak, drove in a career-high three RBI, and notched multiple hits in a game since the Puget Sound series in March.
• Of Ghammachi's eight home runs this season, four of them have been against the Bearcats.

WHO'S NEXT
 
The Pioneers take on Pacific University in the winner's bracket semi-final tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Forest Grove. The winner of Saturday's game 4 will play on Sunday in the NWC Championship Series. The loser will play a second game on Saturday with a spot in the NWC Championship Series on the line.