Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland junior OF Tyler Thompson knocked in four runs on three hits to help the Pilots defeat the Concordia Cavaliers 8-5 in a non-conference baseball game at Joe Etzel Field on Sunday afternoon. Portland (3-0) also got a solid outing from its bullpen as reliever Chris Johnson picks up his first collegiate win.
Johnson (1-0), a freshman right-hander, spelled UP starter Scott Burris with two on and one out in the top of the fourth inning. With runners on first and third and Concordia (2-6) leading 4-2, Johnson struck out Mike Dickman, the first batter he faced. Johnson then induced an inning-ending ground out from Tony Flanagan.
Johnson didn’t allow a run or a walk in 2.2 innings. He struck out two.
The Pilots still trailed by two when they busted out for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on first and second and no outs, senior C Rocky Gale laid down a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt down the third place line. Concordia 3B Danny Brown rushed his throw and tossed it wildly towards first base. The ball got away, allowing both Portland runners to score, while Gale ended up on third.
CU’s Shawn Dirksen was then called for a balk, letting Gale trot home with the go-ahead run. The Pilots weren’t through as junior 2B Riley Henricks followed with an RBI infield single a few batters later. Thompson then tallied his second two-run hit of the game, this time giving Portland an 8-4 lead.
The Cavaliers scored one in the top of the seventh off of reliever Ed Wakefield to pull within three runs, but UP reliever Chris Dennis would shut the door to pick up his second save of the young season. Dennis worked the final two innings, holding the Cavaliers scoreless while surrendering two hits. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.
Dirksen (0-1) gets the loss after pitching the wild sixth inning.
Josh O’Gorman started for CU, but he was touched for two runs in the bottom of the second. With two on and one out, Thompson registered his first big hit of the afternoon with a two-run double off of the center-field fence. O’Gorman gave way to Dirksen to begin the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Cavaliers scored a run in the top of the second and third innings before scoring two off of Burris in the fourth. Burris was near the plate consistently during his 3.1 innings, striking out five while walking none. Only three of his four runs allowed were earned, as Portland made two errors.
Portland finished with a slight 12-11 edge in hits and was led by Thompson and Henricks, who both had three. Thompson went 6-for-8 during the weekend, while sophomore SS Kris Kauppila went 2-for-4 on Sunday to improve to 6-for-10 on the season. Henricks (7-for-13) and junior OF Craig Smith (5-for-9) also had big weekends for the Pilots, who opened with a win over Concordia on Friday and a win against George Fox on Saturday.
Tim Reavis led the CU offense on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Pilots next welcome the Seattle Redhawks to Joe Etzel Field for a four-game series next weekend. The series begins with a 2:00 p.m. game on Friday before the two teams play a double-header on Saturday, which is set to start at 11:00 a.m. Sunday’s series finale is scheduled 1:00 p.m.
