PORTLAND, Ore.- The Portland Pilots lost their home-opener to Lewis & Clark College, 2-1 in 11 innings Saturday afternoon at Pilot Stadium. Portland sophomore right-hander Matthew Peters threw eight shutout innings allowing just two hits, but the Pioneers (4-0) managed to send the game to extra innings with a run in the top of the ninth inning. The Pilots (0-5) let the game slip away as Justin McCloskey walked and came around to score an unearned run in the eleventh.

With the game knotted up and the Pioneers at bat, Pat Hogan led off with a single but was promptly throw out attempting to steal by Pilot catcher Joe Watson. McCloskey then walked and Kyle Corra struck out Keala Fujimori looking for the second out. Peter Young singled to right field on a picture perfect hit and run moving McCloskey to third. The throw by Pilot right fielder Justin Pierce was in the dirt to the cutoff man, and Trevor Hahn lost sight of the ball as it bounced back away from him towards the outfield grass. Hahn scrambled and eventually found the ball, but McCloskey beat the throw home for the game-winning run.

Portland squandered a brilliant performance by Peters who did not give up a hit until a fifth inning single by Chris Webb to right field. Pilot freshman Colton Homme’s RBI single in the third inning scoring Joe Watson was the only run the Portland could muster as they were held to just eight hits, all singles, against the Pioneers.

Peters breezed through eighth innings without incident, giving up just three hits before McCloskey led off the ninth inning with a double down the left field line. Keala Fujimori sacrificed McCloskey to third and Peter Young’s groundout to the shortstop brought the run home to even the score at 1-1.

After Pioneer reliever Scott Brown got the first two outs of the ninth, Josh Goff and Joe Watson hit back-to-back singles putting the winning run in scoring position. Brown got Jesse Rodgers to ground out to second, ending the Pilot inning and extending the game.

Brown tossed four innings of scoreless relief to get the win for the Pioneers, allowing three hits and striking out two. Eric Maroncelli started and pitched 7.0 effective innings for Lewis & Clark, allowing one run (unearned) on five hits, while striking out four.

Peters went an impressive 9.0 innings, allowing just the one run on four hits. He walked one batter and had one strikeout. Corra came on for Peters in the tenth inning, taking the loss after pitching 2.0 innings and giving up one run (unearned).

Jesse Rodgers extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the fifth inning. Watson finished 1-of-3 and walked away from a scary moment in the fifth inning as he was hit by a pitch in the head. The ball caught mostly helmet but still managed to open a cut over his left eye. He was bandaged up and finished the game.

McCloskey led the Pioneers going 2-for-4 at the plate and scoring both runs.

The teams meet again on Sunday to conclude the two-game series at Pilot Stadium, with the first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.