FOREST GROVE – After managing just four hits over the first eight innings, Pacific saw a three-run ninth inning rally fall short as the Boxers fell to Concordia (Ore.) 6-5 in baseball action at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.

A quartet of four Concordia pitchers held Pacific to those four hits before the Boxers got three hits in the bottom of the ninth and saw their first four batters reach base. The Boxers had the bases loaded with one out before the Cavaliers' Brett Ferguson coaxed Scott Rowland (Sr., Salem, Ore.) into a game-ending line out double play.

Kevin Schwartz (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) and Trux French (So., Kennewick, Wash.) each went 2 for 4 to lead the Boxers, with French adding two runs batted in. Tim Reavis and Matt Zappoli each went 2 for 3 for the Cavaliers, with Zappoli knocking in three runs.

The Boxers (16-11-1) scored their first two runs on just one hit. Logan Moen (So., Brier, Wash.) was hit by a pitch to begin the fourth inning. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out before coming home on a wild pitch. Mike Nagamine (Jr., Aiea, Hawaii) singled to open the seventh, advanced to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by French.

Concordia (9-20) scored one run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth before breaking the game open with five runs in the seventh. After loading the bases with one out against reliever Sam Kaplan (Fr., Salt Lake City, Utah), Curt Cosby opened scoring when he plated on a wild pitch. Zappoli gave the Cavaliers the lead when his two-RBI double scored Ben Talbot and pinch runner Jon Houts. Odie Hollingshed followed with a single that score Zappoli from second. Hollingshed later scored on a bases loaded walk.

After Nate Rasmussen (Jr., Sandy, Utah) shut down the Cavaliers over the final 2.2 innings without allowing a hit, the Boxers finally saw their hitting come together. Chad Fahey (Jr., Keizer, Ore.) singled to open the bottom of the ninth. Schwartz followed with a double and Moen singled through the right side to score Fahey. Rasmussen made it a 6-4 game when his sacrifice fly scored Schwartz, and French followed with a slow rolling single that came to rest just in front of the pitcher's mound.

Rowland followed, and appeared to have just scooted his ball through the right side of the infield to at least tie the game. Second baseman Danny Brown managed to catch the ball just before it hit the ground and then made the short run to second base to complete the game-ending double play.

Shayne Nakata earned the win for Concordia in relief as the Cavaliers sent four pitchers to the hill in the non-conference game. Nakata allowed one run on one hits with two walks in the sixth inning. Kaplan, one of five Pacific hurlers to enter the game, fell to 1-1 with the loss. He allowed five runs on five hits in 1.1 innings of work.

Pacific will complete a stretch of five games in six games with a three-game series at Whitman on Saturday and Sunday. Concordia will travel north for a four-game NAIA regional series with British Columbia.