PORTLAND, Ore. --- The only run of the game was unearned and the Pilots got the potential game-tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, but in the end the Pacific Tigers held on to edge Portland 1-0 on Friday night at Joe Etzel Field to open a three-game West Coast Conference series.
 
Down 1-0 going to the final frame, Beau Brundage led off with a hard-hit line drive that was caught by Ryan Shreve, the Pacific (16-24, 7-12 WCC) pitcher. But Shreve wasn't as fortunate against the next two hitters as he walked Daniel Lopez and hit Cody Hawken, leading to a pitching change for the Tigers.
 
Lucas Sweany then took over on the mound with two on and only one out, and the lefty finished the job with a strike out and a fly out to end it, as he collects his second save of the year.
 
Portland freshman starter Eli Morse (3-6) had a second straight stellar performance on the mound, going 8.0 innings. He fanned six, didn't issue a walk, and yielded only six hits. He was coming off a complete-game performance last Friday at LMU, where he struck out 11 en route to the win.
 
The Tigers' lone run came in the top of the eighth inning after Keaton Glover reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a ground out. A Portland (16-25, 8-11 WCC) error then gave Pacific runners on the corners, and Glover would trot home on a ground out, which would have been the third out of the inning.
 
The night looked promising for the Pilots as they had two hits in the opening inning, courtesy Matt Kelly and Brundage. But they'd be left stranded as Pacific starter Shelby Lackey cruised through 8.0 innings of work.
 
Lackey (4-3) held the Pilots to just three hits, while striking out five.
 
Connor Knutson pitched a scoreless top of the ninth in relief of Morse.
 
Tomorrow brings game two of the series, which is scheduled to begin at 6:05 and will be broadcast live in the Portland area on NBC Sports Northwest.