Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- With the score tied and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Portland’s Michael Lucarelli hit a walk-off single to center field that scored Chet Thompson from second base and gave the Pilots a 2-1 win over the Cal State Northridge Matadors on a cold and wet Sunday afternoon at Hilken Stadium. Portland wins the three-game series and improves to 13-3 on the year, the second best start to a season in program history.
Portland and Northridge split a double header on Friday, with the Pilots winning game one 8-1 and the Matadors claiming the second game 3-1.
Sunday’s game, which was delayed by snow and rain for about 30 minutes in the middle of the sixth, appeared destined for extra innings after UP’s first two batters were retired in the bottom of the ninth. Thompson though would work the count full before getting plunked by Northridge pitcher Louis Cohen.
Then with Lucarelli at the plate, Thompson took off and easily stole second base, putting himself in scoring position. And with a 1-2 count, Lucarelli came through with the game-winning single, Portland’s second walk-off win this season.
Cohen (2-1) takes the loss for the Matadors (9-11) after coming on in relief in the eighth inning. Lucarelli’s game-winner was the only hit Cohen allowed in 1.2 innings.
J.R. Bunda (1-0) pitched an effective inning of relief to notch his first win of the year. He came on in the top of the ninth with two runners on and no outs before getting out of the jam unharmed.
Portland starter Chris Johnson was cruising on the hill before the weather turned nasty in the top of the sixth inning. Johnson had only allowed two base runners to that point, but the Matadors took advantage in the sixth to score the game’s first run. With runners on first and second and one out, Cal Vogelsang smacked a double to the right-center gap that scored Kyle Attl and gave Northridge a 1-0 lead.
Keeler Brynteson then spelled Johnson and ended the inning with a little help from a miscue on the base paths by the Matadors. With one out and runners on second and third, Brynteson induced a lazy fly ball to right field that was easily caught by Portland’s Turner Gill.
On the play, Vogelsang took off for third base, where Ryan Raslowsky was already standing. Raslowsky was then forced to come off the base and was easily tagged out at home by Bo Cornish, Portland’s catcher.
After the weather delay, Portland quickly responded with the tying run. Cody Lenahan led off the bottom of the sixth with a pinch hit double to left-center field, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground out by Gill, tying the score at 1-1.
Both teams finished with six hits, while neither team committed an error.
Jerry Keel started on the hill for Cal State Northridge, allowing just three hits in 5.0 innings. Justen Gorski tossed 2.0 innings of relief, allowing the game-tying run in the sixth.
Johnson finished with just four hits in 5.1 innings, while relievers Kody Watts and Owen Jones also took the mound for the Pilots.
Portland moved its three-game series with the Matadors to Concordia University’s Hilken Stadium due to unplayable conditions at Joe Etzel Field.
The Pilots are scheduled to return to their usual home ballpark on Tuesday as Hawai’i visits Joe Etzel Field for a non-conference game at 3 p.m. Portland then opens play in the West Coast Conference with a three-game series against BYU, which is set to begin on Thursday at Joe Etzel Field.
