MORAGA, Calif. --- The Saint Mary's Gaels edged the Portland Pilots 7-5 and 6-5 to take both games of a West Coast Conference double header played on Saturday afternoon at Louis Guisto Field. Portland's Kevin Wade, Ryan Hoogerwerf and Mike Hicks each homered during the double header.
 
The Gaels (16-6, 2-0 WCC) jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first game before the Pilots (4-18, 0-5 WCC) came storming back. Beau Brundage got one back in the top of the fourth when the Pilots executed a double steal in a first-and-third situation.
 
An inning later, Matt Kelly pulled the Pilots within three when he drilled a double down the left field line, which allowed Tate Budnick to score. Brundage followed with an RBI double of his own, and just like that it was a 5-3 ballgame.
 
Hicks took care of the rest of the deficit a few batters later when left the yard with his first home run of the year, and the two-run blast evened the score 5-5.
 
But the Gaels countered with a go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning before adding an insurance run in the sixth. The run in the fifth came on a double steal, and the tally in the sixth was unearned due to a Portland error.
 
The Pilots did bring the potential game-tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Saint Mary's ended the game with a 6-4-3 double play.
 
Portland starter Grady Miller (1-4) tossed 5.0 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits. Camden Muller worked an inning of relief, and Jordan Horak was perfect out of the bullpen covering the final two frames.
 
The Gaels' Cameron Neff (1-0) earns his first win of the year after yielding all five Portland runs in 6.1 innings of work. Reliever Ty Madrigal struck out two in 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings, and closer Kevin Milam pitched the ninth to register the save.
 
It was the Pilots who surged ahead to begin the second game, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning and two more in the fourth. The two runs in the second came on solo shots off the bats of Wade and Hoogerwerf. It's the first long fly of the season for Wade, while Hoogerwerf claims his team-high fourth home run.
 
Two innings later both Ryan Kim and Kelly provided RBI singles to make it 4-0 in favor of the Pilots.
 
The Gaels climbed back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Pilots added to their lead in the seventh inning. Kelly doubled into the right field corner, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and easily came home when Hicks singled up the middle, handing the visitors a 5-3 lead.
 
But Saint Mary's had an answer in the home half, scoring three to make it a 6-5 game.
 
The Pilots, who registered a season-high 13 hits, left the bases loaded in the eighth inning and did get a runner on in the ninth, but the Gaels held on for the win.
 
Starter Corbin Powers let in three runs on six hits in 6.0 innings, and all three runs charged to Horak (0-5) during his two innings were unearned.
 
Milan earned his second straight save, giving him nine this spring, and reliever Drew Strotman (3-0) takes the win after throwing 4.1 innings.

The Pilots and Gaels next conclude their three-game series with the finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.