DALLAS, Texas --- The Portland Pilots bounced back from a 9-2 loss to win the night cap of a double-header 13-9 against Dallas Baptist at Patriot Field on Monday. Portland exploded for 16 hits in the second game, including five from senior outfielder Travis Vetters, as they win their first game of the season to improve to 1-2 (0-0 WCC). The Patriots drop to 2-1.

The Pilots struggled at the plate during the first game, getting only six hits. Portland scored first when senior designated hitter James Allan scored on a ground out by sophomore left fielder Cory Wiltshire in the top of the second inning. Allan had singled and advanced to third on a single and a passed ball.

DBU responded with three in the bottom of the third. Brandon Bantz knocked in a run with a triple and Austin Krum knocked in two with a three-bagger of his own. The Patriots added one more in the fourth and three in seventh.

Portland’s other run came on an RBI triple by Vetters in the sixth.

Junior Sean Sargent (0-2) went six innings on the mound for Portland, giving up four earned runs. Sargent struck out five and scattered six hits.

Rodney Brantley (1-0) held the Pilots to four hits in six innings. Jordan Craft pitched three scoreless innings to pick up the save, his first this season.

DBU outhit the Pilots 9-6, while each team committed an error.

Game two was a different story as the Portland bats came alive for 16 hits. Vetters also scored three times. Junior shortstop Jesse Rodgers went 2 for 4 with a home run, three RBI’s and two runs scored. Junior second baseman and leadoff hitter Andrew Wrisley had two hits, a home run and two RBI’s. Allan also went deep.

Portland scored one in the first, one in the second and three in the third to take an early 5-0 advantage. Vetters hit a solo shot in the first, Allan went yard in the second and Wrisley and Vetters hit back-to-back shots in the third. Freshman first baseman Chase Powell also knocked in a run in the third frame.

After DBU scored one in the third, the Pilots responded with another three-run inning in the fifth. After Vetters had singled and stolen second, Rodgers went yard to make it 7-1. Allan made it 9-1 with a sacrifice fly.

It was a 9-2 Portland lead when DBU exploded for six runs in the seventh. Cody Montgomery hit a three-run home for the bulk of the scoring. The Patriots also scored on a balk, a groundout and a single.

The Patriots then tied it 9-9 on a Portland error in the eighth.

But the Pilots responded with four runs in the ninth and then held on for the win. With the bases loaded, sophomore third baseman Pat Geraghty hit a two-run double to give the lead back to Portland. Vetters then followed with a bases-loaded single that scored one, before Rodgers brought home another on a sacrifice fly.

Junior Austin Dirkx struck out the side in the ninth to seal the win. Dirkx (1-0) struck out four in two innings for his first win as a Pilot. Junior Josh Roberts got the start on the hill for Portland and pitched five effective innings. He gave up two runs on four hits, while striking out four.

Stuart Sutherland (0-1) pitched the ninth for DBU to pick up the loss.

Portland wraps up its four-game series at Dallas Baptist tomorrow with a game at scheduled to start at 2 p.m. (PST).