Box Score

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – A ninth inning rally came 90 feet short of keeping Pacific in the game Sunday as Linfield took a 4-3 victory and secured a sweep of the Northwest Conference baseball series at Roy Helser Field.
 
The Boxers trailed 4-0 going into the top of ninth after the Wildcats scored two runs in both the fifth and sixth.  Logan Moen (Sr., Brier, Wash.) led off with a single and Donnie Bradley (So., Beaverton, Ore.) added a double to right two batters later.
 
The two hits ended the day for Linfield starter Zach Brandon, who had allowed just one Pacific runner past second base prior to the ninth.  Reliever Garett Speyer opened his outing by walking Dan Jaffe (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) to load the bases.  Trux French (Sr., Kennewick, Wash.) then grounded into a fielder's choice, but all runners were safe including Moen at home, who scored the Boxers' first run.
 
Charlie Gaff (Fr., Stockton, Calif.) was issued a second bases loaded walk, scoring Bradley, and Anson Arakaki (Sr., Hilo, Hawaii) grounded out to first base, which allowed pinch-runner Grant Rogers (So., Clackamas, Ore.) to score.  Speyer then struck out Michael Arakaki (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) to save the game for the Wildcats.
 
The No. 22 ranked Wildcats (10-1, 3-0 NWC) broke open a pitcher's duel between Brandon and Pacific's Kyle Treadway (So., Phoenix, Ore.) with two runs in the fifth.  Tim Wilson sparked a two-out rally with his single to second and scored on a single through the infield by Nate McClellan.  Jake Wylie followed with a single up the middle that brought home Corey VanDomelen.
 
Kyle Chamberlain made it a 3-0 game in the sixth when he scored on Jordan Harlow's single up the middle.  Nick Fisher followed with a triple to center field, scoring Harlow from first.
 
Pacific (0-10, 0-3 NWC) had their chances to score early, but once again left eight runners on base and left five in scoring position.  The Boxers best scoring chance prior to the ninth came in the fifth when Bradley led off with a double and went to third on a sacrificed by Jaffe.  French then reached when he was hit by a pitch, but saw the inning end when Gaff grounded into a double play.
 
Brandon went 8.1 innings to earn his third win of the season, allowing two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.  Speyer earned his first save of the season.  Treadway fell to 0-3 with the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.Tyler Kotchik (So., Beaverton, Ore.) threw 2.2 innings and allowed just two hits.
 
Moen and Bradley each went 2 for 4 with a run scored to lead the Boxers offensively, with Bradley hitting two doubles.  Fisher led the Wildcats by going 3 for 4 with a triple and a RBI.
 
Pacific hopes that a return home can also mean a return to the win column.  The Boxers play their first games at Chuck Bafaro Stadium for the 2013 season on Saturday as they host George Fox for a NWC doubleheader.  First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.