PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland freshman starting pitcher Grady Miller struck out 12 and Matt Kelly hit a three-run home run as the Pilots won game one of a double header 5-2 over the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday at Joe Etzel Field. But the Wildcats bounced back in the second game and used two unearned runs to even the series with a 6-4 win.
The Pilots (2-10) got on the board first in the game one, courtesy that three-run homer from Kelly in the bottom of the second inning. Chris Arpan and Kevin Wade had both previously singled, and Kelly left the building with his first career home run to give the home team a 3-0 lead.
The Wildcats (3-10) responded with a two-run home run in the top of the next inning, but that was the only blemish on the day for Miller, who was masterful in 7.0 innings of work.
Meanwhile the Pilots gave their starting pitcher all the run support he would need, as Ryan Hoogerwerf added an RBI double in the bottom of the third, and Cody Hawken provided some insurance with a run-scoring single in the seventh.
Miller (1-3) notches his first win of the year, and he yielded just the two runs on four hits. Reliever Kevin Baker tossed the final 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit, while fanning three. He earns his first save of the season.
Northwestern starter Hank Christie (1-2) is saddled with the loss. He gave up four runs on seven hits, and was followed on the mound by relievers Pete Hofman and Richard Fordon.
The Wildcats scored first in game two, pushing two across in the top of the first inning. The Pilots wasted little time with an answer, getting one back in the bottom of the frame. Kelly reached with a one-out double, moved to third on a fly out, and scored when Hoogerwerf sent a single to left field.
And then in the bottom of the third, Hawken gave the Pilots the lead when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. With two outs, the sophomore drilled a double into left field that scored two and made it a 3-2 game in Portland's favor.
Northwestern then reclaimed the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth, but in the home half of the inning Devin Kopas left the yard with a solo home run over the wall in left-center field. His first long fly of the spring tied the score 4-4.
But in the seventh, the Wildcats took advantage of a Portland error and a pass ball to score twice, jumping ahead by two. And the lead would stand as Northwestern reliever J.R. Reimer was solid in 3.0 scoreless innings. He struck out two, and allowed two hits, which included a two-out double to Kelly in the bottom of the ninth.
Northwestern reliever Sam Lawrence (1-1), who replaced starter Josh Davis after he lasted just 3.0 innings, gets the win.
Portland's Tate Budnick (0-3) takes the loss after throwing 2.1 innings out of the pen. He was charged with the two unearned runs before giving way to Camden Muller, who was stellar during the final 2.0 innings. He allowed only one hit, and struck out one. Starter Corbin Powers gave up four runs on seven hits, while fanning four in 4.2 innings.
Kelly went an impressive 6-for-9 at the plate during the two games, with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored, and three RBI's.
The Pilots and Wildcats next conclude their abbreviated series with the finale, which is slated for tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Thursday's opener was rained out.
