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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Junior right-hander Matt McCallister was perfect through six innings and the Pilots picked up their third shutout of the season as Portland blanked the Concordia Cavaliers 5-0 in a non-conference baseball game on Tuesday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Freshman Michael Lucarelli had three hits for the Pilots (7-2).
With the Pilots leading 2-0, McCallister (2-0) cruised through the first six innings, retiring the Cavaliers in order. Finally in the seventh, Calvin Nagy led off with a solid single up the middle to break up the perfect game. Jordan Keeker would follow with an infield single to give CU runners on first and second with nobody out.
Then after Concordia’s Carl Beckert made it a first-and-third situation on a fielder’s choice, McCallister induced an inning-ending double play to preserve Portland’s lead.
The Pilots would then push two more runs across in the bottom of the seventh before capping the scoring with another run in the eighth.
Senior Kris Kauppila led off the seventh with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and would end up on third on a ground-out. Sophomore Turner Gill then picked up the two-out RBI with a hard-hit line drive to right field. A few batters later, Gill trotted home on a bases loaded balk to give the Pilots a 4-0 lead.
In the eighth, the Pilots again scored with two outs as Kauppila went down the line with a double to bring home sophomore Bo Cornish from second base.
McCallister ended up with two strikeouts, while not walking a batter in 7.0 innings of work. He allowed a lead-off single in the top of the eighth before giving way to the UP bullpen. Relievers Keeler Brynteson and Owen Jones both pitched a perfect inning, with Jones fanning all three batters he faced in the ninth.
Jared Young (1-1) takes the loss for Concordia (9-6) after allowing Portland’s first two runs. Lucarelli had an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning, and Brian Fratalli registered an RBI single in the third.
Young lasted 5.0 innings, allowing eight hits. Three relievers followed Young on the hill for Concordia.
The Pilots out-hit the Cavaliers 14-3, while CU committed the game’s only error. Kauppila, Gill, Fratalli and Cody Lenahan each had two hits.
Portland next welcomes the Air Force Falcons to Joe Etzel Field for a four-game series this weekend. The series opener is set for 2 p.m. on Friday, while Saturday’s double header is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. First pitch for Sunday’s finale is slated for 1 p.m.
