George Fox 11, Concordia 3: Big Innings Boost Bruins by Cavs in Final Home Game

(Newberg, Oregon) - Batting around in both the fourth and fifth innings and scoring 10 runs combined in the two frames, the George Fox University Bruins broke open a close game to defeat the Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers 11-3 in their final home baseball game of the season Monday afternoon here at Morse Field.

Playing on their home diamond for the first time since March 19 due to a water-logged outfield, the Bruins collected 12 hits, with every starter but one getting at least one hit.

Concordia took a short-lived 1-0 lead in the top of the second on ground singles by Tommy Whalen and Jon Houts before Andrew Duke hit into a force out at second as Whalen scored. George Fox tied it in the home half when Zac Israel reached on a two-out error at third and scored on Jay Kirchhofer’s double to right over Houts, who came in too far and had the drive sail over him.

The Bruins sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth and took command by scoring seven runs. Singles by Derek Aldrich, Nate Hickok, and Israel broke the 1-1 tie, and after Kirchhofer was hit by a pitch to fill the bases, Derek Blankenship singled in Hickok. Dan Winterstein was hit by a pitch to force in another run, and Taylor Hunter lopped a two-run single down the right-field line. San Stahl’s double to left-center plated the final two runs of the inning.

Nine Bruins batted in the fifth as three more runs came in. Aldrich singled, Hickok was hit by a pitch, and Israel walked before Blankenship singled to right-center. Aldrich scored easily and Hickok, who had been held at third, continued home when the ball was juggled by Houts. Hunter was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, and Stahl drew a walk to force in the Bruins’ final run.

The Cavaliers picked up single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Singles by Brady Miletich and Riley Tubbs and Whalen’s sacrifice fly to center picked up the first run, and the last scored on singles by Curt Cosby and Miletich and Matt Zappoli’s force out grounder to second.

Carl Mason (2-0), the third of seven George Fox hurlers, picked up the win when his teammates broke the tie in the fourth. He worked the fourth and fifth innings, allowing only one hit with a walk and three strikeouts. Steven Taft (2-5) started and suffered the setback for Concordia, allowing nine hits and eight runs, seven earned, in four innings.

Stahl, Aldrich, and Blankenship had two hits apiece for the Bruins, with Stahl driving in three runs. Israel scored three times for George Fox. Miletich was the only Cavalier to collect two hits.

NEXT: George Fox is now 25-11 overall and has three games left in the Inland Cellular Tournament at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, starting with a game Friday against fellow Northwest Conference opponent Pacific Lutheran University at 3:00 p.m. ... Concordia’s season has ended with a final 17-30 record.