Pitchers Josh Roberts and Austin Dirkx combine to hold North Dakota State to five hits as Pilots win 3-2
DAVIS, Calif. --- Portland pitchers Josh Roberts and Austin Dirkx combine to throw a five-hitter as the Pilots salvaged a 3-2 win against the North Dakota State Bison at the River City Classic at Dobbins Stadium on Saturday. Roberts (1-0) went 7 and 1/3 innings before giving way to Dirkx, who picked up his first save of the season. Portland improves to 2-6, while the Bison drop to 1-3.
Roberts, a junior right-hander, held North Dakota state to two runs on four hits, while striking out nine. Dirkx, also a junior right-hander, gave up one hit and recorded one strikeout in 1 and 2/3 innings.
Junior first baseman James Allan, who went 2 for 3, and senior Nik Kosach knocked in two of the Portland’s three runs. Kosach scored the third, which was unearned. The Pilots had six hits for the game.
Portland scored first in the bottom of the second inning after freshman designated hitter Chase Powell led off with a double to left field. Two batters later, Allan knocked in Powell with a single to center to make it 1-0.
North Dakota State got on the board in the top of the fifth with an RBI single from Nick Schommer.
Still tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth, NDSU took the lead when Ryan Langlais knocked in Charles Magedanz with single to center field. Langlais had two of North Dakota State’s five hits on the day. He also scored once to go along with his RBI.
Portland responded with two in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead. Down 2-1, freshman second baseman Sean Nicol drew a two-out walk to extend the inning. Pinch hitter Nik Kosach then drilled a double down the left field line that scored Nicol from first base, tying the game at 2-2. Kosach advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop. After Mitch McNary replaced Bison starting pitcher Ryan Williams, Kosach scored on a wild pitch to give the Pilots a 3-2 advantage.
Williams (0-1) surrendered five hits in six and 2/3 innings, while striking out five Pilots.
Each team committed one error.
The Pilots next return home for an exhibition game against British Columbia on Monday at 2 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field on Monday. Then it’s back on the road for a three-game series at Fresno State next weekend in Fresno, Calif., beginning with a 6:35 p.m. game on Friday night.
