FOREST GROVE – For the second straight day, Kevin Schwartz (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) delivered the clutch winning hit as his two-run single in the eighth inning capped a 12-10 come from behind Pacific victory over Lewis & Clark in Northwest Conference baseball action at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
The Boxers (7-3, 3-0 NWC) trailed 10-8 after a seven-run top of the eighth by the Pioneers (1-7, 0-3 NWC). Pacific converted four walks into a run before Schwartz roped his hit through the left side of the infield, scoring Michael Arakaki (So., Mililani, Hawaii) and Sam Kaplan (Fr., Salt Lake City, Utah) for the winning runs.
Schwartz led Pacific offensively by going 2 for 5 with three runs batted in. Trux French (So., Kennewick, Wash.) and Mike Nagamine (Jr., Aiea, Hawaii) also had two hits as the Boxers swept the conference series with the Pioneers.
The Pioneers opened the day by scoring the game's first two runs in the second against Pacific starter Chad Fahey (Jr., Keizer, Ore.). Tucker Laurence opened the frame with a single. Roland Greene walked and both scored on a single to right by Eliot Smith.
Pacific stormed back to score nine runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Nate Rasmussen (Jr., Sandy, Utah) opened the six-run fourth when he scored on an error and Logan Moen (So., Brier, Wash.) tied it when he singled to score French. The Boxers then added three runs on Pioneers' miscues with Nagamine and Moen scoring on wild pitches and Scott Rowland (Sr., Salem, Ore.) coming home on the second error of the inning. Rasmussen made it a 6-2 game when he singled to score Travis Koon (Fr., Salem, Ore.).
The Boxers added three more in the fifth on a RBI single by Rowland, a double by Koon and a ground out that plated Nick Tasaka (So., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii).
Lewis & Clark took one back against Fahey in the sixth when Smith doubled to score Nick Lavin, but came alive for seven runs in the eighth against Boxers' relief pitchers. Sam Holman opened the frame when he scored on a sacrifice fly, Giuseppe Baffaro followed with a RBI single and Geoff Wertz scored on an error. Laurence then scored two with a single up the middle, Roland Greene added one on his sharp single down the left field line and Lavin capped the inning with a soft single to third that scored Laurence.
Pacific would win it in the eighth as reliever Hardeep Gujral gave up four walks and allowed the first run of the inning home on a wild pitch. Mike Hathaway then came in to face Schwartz, who sent a 3-1 pitch through the gap on the left side to score Arakaki and Kaplan.
The Pioneers had two on with no outs the top of the ninth against Jared Van Hoon (Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) before a weird play all but closed the door on the visitors. Bafarro laid down a bunt just down the left field line from the plate. Catcher Conor Clark (Jr., Tigard, Ore.) tried to throw to third, but instead wheeled to first and just beat Baffaro to the bag. Wertz advanced to third on the sacrifice, and decided to try and come home. Pacific first baseman French threw to a running Clark, who got back into position just in time to apply the tag to Wertz to complete the double play. Ball flied out in his next at bat to end the game.
Dan Wolfe (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.) earned his first win of the season in relief, allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Van Hoon earned his second save of the year, facing two batters in the ninth. Gujral took the loss for the Pioneers, allowing three runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
Lewis & Clark received a 3 for 4 performance by Smith, which included three runs batted in. Gianluca Giarrizzo, Laurence and Wertz each had two hits.
The Boxers will now prepare for another four-game week. Pacific will play Concordia (Ore.) on Tuesday at the University of Portland's Joe Etzel Field before going to McMinnville next Saturday and Sunday to face defending NWC champion Linfield. The Pioneers return home to host Willamette in a three-game series next weekend.