PORTLAND, Ore. --- After falling behind Seattle U, the Pilots climbed back into the game with six runs during the final four innings, but the Redhawks would hold on to claim a 9-6 win over Portland in a non-conference baseball game played on Tuesday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Collin Runge collected three RBI's for the Pilots, who left 13 runners stranded on base.
 
Down 7-0 after five-and-a-half innings, the Pilots began their comeback with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. That's when Portland loaded the bases, and Ryan Hoogerwerf got the home team on the board with a sacrifice fly. Henry Cheney followed with his first RBI of the season with an infield single to pull the Pilots within five, but SU avoided more damage when they got out of the frame on a pop out with two runners still one base.
 
Portland then scored two more during a lengthy seventh inning, during which Runge sent a two-run single to left-center field that made it a 7-4 ballgame. A few batters later the Pilots had the bases loaded, but again the Redhawks escaped the jam.
 
In the top of the eighth, Seattle U received some key insurance runs when Dalton Hurd left the yard with a two-run homer to left field, pushing their lead back to five runs.
 
The Pilots answered by loading the bases in the home half of the inning, and Cody Hawken and Runge both earned free passes to force in a run. Now with their lead down to 9-6, the Redhawks turned to their closer Zach Wolf, and he promptly ended the threat with a fly out as the Pilots left the bases full for the second straight inning.
 
Wolf then retired the Pilots in order in the ninth to register his fourth save on the year.
 
Seattle U (10-7) starter Tarik Skubal (1-0) takes the win after holding the Pilots to just one hit in 5.0 innings. Skubal did walk six, and he finished with three strike outs. Three relievers followed Skubal on the mound before Wolf took over for the final inning-and-a-third.
 
Portland (6-11) went with starter Connor White (0-1), who yielded just one run on two hits in 2.0 innings. He struck out three and walked three, and the Pilots used six pitchers for the game.
 
Seattle U scored one run in the first and another in the third before creating some separation with a four-run sixth inning.
 
Beau Brundage extended his career-long hitting streak to 16 games with a pair of hits, while Daniel Lopez also had two hits, to go along with two runs scored.
 
The Pilots next open play in the West Coast Conference when they host the Saint Mary's Gaels for a three-game series at Joe Etzel Field this weekend. Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m.