FRESNO, Calif. --- With the score tied in the top of the ninth inning, Portland senior 1B Chase Powell blasted a three-run home run to help the Pilots defeat the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners 10-6 on the final day of the Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic at Beiden Field. Sophomore 2B Riley Henricks followed Powell with a solo home run as the Pilots win their third straight game and improve to 11-7 on the season.
UP seemingly had the game in hand after scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-3 lead. With two outs and runners on second and third, Powell hit a pinch-hit, two-run double to give Portland the three-run edge.
But the Roadrunners (4-10) responded by taking advantage of three straight walks to lead off the bottom half of the inning. With no outs and the bases loaded, Jeremy Rodriguez tied the game with one swing of the bat. Rodriguez cleared the bases with a double to left field off of UP reliever Keeler Brynteson.
Brynteson (1-0), who was responsible for one of the runs after relieving Brent Miller, then settled down to record two strike outs and a pop-up to end the threat and the inning. Brynteson followed the seventh with scoreless eighth and ninth innings to pick up his first win of the season.
Bakersfield reliever Garret Branske (0-1), who was responsible for all four of Portland’s runs in the ninth, gets the loss.
The Pilots got off to a good start after senior OF Bryant Kraus hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give UP the early 2-0 lead.
Cal State Bakersfield pulled within a run in the bottom of the second inning and took the lead with two more in the bottom of the fifth. With the Pilots leading 2-1, Stuart Smith hit a two-run single up the middle off of UP starter Mark Triolo. Both runs were unearned after a Portland error extended the inning.
The 3-2 Bakersfield lead was short-lived as senior 1B Cort Carpenter left the yard with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning. Carpenter’s fourth home run of the season gave Portland a 4-3 advantage.
Triolo was touched for three runs, only one of which was earned, during 5.0 innings. The senior right-hander struck out five.
Miller followed Triolo for an inning before giving way to Brynteson, who struck out four in 3.0 innings of work.
The Roadrunners used four pitchers on the day, with starter Sam Jones going 6.2 innings. Jones allowed six runs, all earned, on nine hits and five walks.
The Pilots finished with a 14-6 edge in hits. Henricks went 3-for-5, while Powell had two hits in two at-bats and five RBI’s. Freshman SS Kris Kauppila and junior C Rocky Gale both had a pair of hits.
Both teams committed two errors.
The Pilots finished their stay in Fresno with an even 3-3 record. Portland played six games in six days at the PJQ Classic and now returns home to host George Fox at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday at Joe Etzel Field.
The Pilots are scheduled to host the inaugural Rose City Invitational at PGE Park next weekend. The eight-game, three day event will also feature the Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies and Hawaii Rainbows and is set to begin on Friday afternoon in downtown Portland.
