Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Junior Matt Mardesich drilled a walk-off, two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the upstart University of Portland baseball team defeated the Saint Mary’s Gaels 5-4 Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The Pilots (19-7) improve to 4-0 in West Coast Conference play with the thrilling win, while the Gaels (9-16-1) drop to 0-1 in WCC action.
The Pilots improves to 10-1 at home with three walk-off wins and one ninth inning comeback win on the road. Portland is 10-3 in games decided by three runs or less.
St. Mary’s junior LF Justin Fazio extracted some revenge on the Pilots pitchers by giving St. Mary’s the lead with a 1-2, one out home run to right center field off sophomore Keeler Brynteson. Fazio had been hit by a pitch in his previous two plate appearances before launching one into the tree behind the right center field wall. Junior Chris Dennis (3-0) relieved the lefty one out later, striking out the only batter he faced to pick up the victory. His ERA now sits at a sparkling 0.40 in his first season on the Bluff.
Junior OF Kyle Haskin led off the dramatic ninth inning with a pinch-hit double but could not immediately advance as senior Brandon Berl (0-5) retired the next two Pilots. Down to their final out, senior C Rocky Gale sent a chopper behind the mound for a perfectly placed infield single. Junior OF Austin Pearce pinch-ran for Gale before easily scoring on Mardesich’s full count double.
Mardesich’s double capped off a heroic day for the third baseman. With Portland trailing 2-1 with two outs in the seventh and runners on the corners, St. Mary’s Patrick Wisdom sent a screaming line drive down the third base line. Mardesich reached up to snag it but it popped out of his glove. Mardesich stretched out with his bare hand to grab the ball before it fell to the ground, ending the Gael’s threat while receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.
Junior Zach Varce went 8.0 innings for the Pilots, giving up three runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore Mark Anderson lasted 7.2 innings for the Gaels, also allowing three runs but on seven hits. He walked none while striking out two.
The Pilots took a brief lead in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run from junior OF Garrett Queen. The home run, his first of the season, was part of a two hit game for Queen, who has now hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games. Gale also recorded a two hit game for the Pilots. St. Mary’s C Ryan Mulligan (three) and OF Brenden Kalfus (two) each recorded a multi-hit game while Kalfus scored three of the Gael’s four runs.
Saint Mary’s had 11 hits on the afternoon but stranded eight runners. Portland stranded just four baserunners on 10 hits. Neither team committed an error.
Portland sends sophomore Kyle Kraus (5-0, 4.66 ERA) to the mound tomorrow against freshman Martin Agosta (2-1, 1.95). First pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm at Joe Etzel Field.
