PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's Blake Porter had a stellar day at the plate and closer Connor Knutson collected a pair of saves as the Pilots swept a double header from the Northern Colorado Bears on Saturday, winning the first game 9-8 before claiming the second 8-5 at Joe Etzel Field. The Pilots also won on Friday night, and they'll go after the series sweep on Sunday.
 
Porter went 5-for-7 combined on the day, helping the Pilots (12-4) extend their winning streak to five games. A junior transfer in his first season on The Bluff, Porter also homered, hit two doubles, drove in four RBI's, scored three runs, and swiped three bases.
 
Daniel Lopez homered and finished with four RBI's for the Pilots, Matt Kelly registered three RBI's, and Chad Stevens had four steals and scored four runs.
 
It's the second time this season that Knutson has saved two games on the same day as the junior right-hander now has six stops on the year. He's has yet to allow a run in 12.0 innings pitched.
 
Portland jumped out to a sizable lead in the first game, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning and five more in the fourth. After the Bears had scored a run in the first and third innings, Porter led off the third with a double. The bases were soon loaded, and Stevens knocked in Porter with a single. Kelly then claimed an RBI with a sac fly that tied the score 2-2, and Dutton Elske scored on an error to give Portland their first lead of the game. Cody Hawken added an RBI single before the frame was done.
 
In the fourth inning, the Pilots created some breathing room with the help of a two-run homer by Porter, his second of the season. Later in the inning, Lopez sent a three-run blast over the left-field wall to hand the Pilots a commanding 9-2 lead.
 
Every run was need for the Pilots as the Bears (2-10) nearly completed the comeback with six runs in the top of the fifth inning. But that's the only offense they could produce the rest of the way as Christian Peters and Knutson combined to hold UNC scoreless during the final 4.2 innings.
 
Peters (1-1) gets the win after taking over in relief. He didn't allow a base runner, and he struck out one. Knutson worked 2.0 innings to notch the save.
 
UNC starter Connor Anderson (0-4) takes the loss. He surrendered nine runs, only three earned, in 4.0 innings.
 
The Pilots surged ahead 4-0 in game two, courtesy one run in the first and three more in the second. Stevens was responsible for the run in the first after leading off with a single, moved to second base on an error, headed to third courtesy a balk, and scored on an RBI ground out by Lopez.
 
In the third, Gabe Skoro had an RBI single, and Kelly followed with a two-run double.
 
The Bears got two runs back in the top of the fifth inning, and the Pilots scored some insurance runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Hunter Montgomery provided the run in the fifth with an RBI double, and Porter hit a two-run double in the seventh.
 
UNC tried to mount a late comeback with three runs in the eighth, but Hawken added an RBI double in the home half of the frame, and Knutson took over in the ninth to seal the win.
 
Freshman Cole Wilkinson (1-1) was effective in relief, earning his first career win. The lefty tossed 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out one and giving up two hits.
 
Northern Colorado starter Brennan Lauffenburger (0-1) takes the loss after the Pilots scored five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.
 
First pitch for Sunday's series finale is set for 11 a.m.