RIDGEFIELD, Wash. --- The Portland Pilots rallied to win game one of a double header 8-7 over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks before pulling away in the second game for a 7-2 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. The win improves Portland's record to 9-1, which is the best start to a season for the Pilots since 2010.
 
Jake Holcroft had a stellar day at the plate, going 6-for-8 with a double, a home run, three RBI's, and six runs scored. Tracye Tammaro homered twice and collected five RBI's.
 
The Pilots trailed 7-3 in the eighth inning of the first game when they put together a four-run rally to tie the score. The Pilots loaded the bases following a lengthy rain delay, and Hunter Montgomery brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Sean Mulcare then provided an RBI with a hard-hit grounder back the pitcher, and the bases were loaded again a batter later when SFA issued another walk.
 
Two more walks later to Henry Cheney and Christian Cooney, and just like that the Pilots and Lumberjacks were tied 7-7.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Pilots loaded the bases once again, and this time it was Nich Klemp who came through with the game-winning hit. He drove a bouncer towards the shortstop that bounced off the umpire and allowed Chad Stevens to trot home with the winning run.
 
Portland closer Connor Knutson (2-0), who worked the top of the ninth for the Pilots gets the win, and SFA reliever Tod Gauthe (0-1) is saddled with the loss.
 
Early on it was the 'Jacks who jumped ahead when they left the yard twice in the first inning.
 
The Pilots responded in the home half of the inning when Tammaro absolutely crushed a ball over the fence in right field. Holcroft, who had previously singled, scored on the homer as the Pilots cut into the deficit.
 
But in the top of the third, SFA extended their lead with another home run. This time with two on and two outs, Skylar Black barely cleared the center field wall to make it a 7-2 game.
 
Holcroft then continued his torrid weekend by leading off the bottom of the third with a solo home run. It's his first homer of the year, and it pulled the Pilots within four.
 
But the Portland bats went silent from there as SFA's Joe Todd and Raygan Dodd were effective on the mound. That changed in the fourth when the Pilots plated four to level the score.
 
Holcroft went 4-for-5 during game one, and he scored three times.
 
The 'Jacks took an early lead in game two after a hit-by-pitch, a double, and a sacrifice fly scored a run in the top of the first.
 
The score remained 1-0 until third inning when Tammaro and Montgomery hit back-to-back jacks. Tammaro's blast came with two runners on base, and Montgomery left the yard with a shot to deep straight away center field as the Pilots took a 4-1 edge.
 
The Lumberjacks got a run back in the top of the fifth, but Holcroft provided some insurance when he sent a double into the left field corner. Jake Tsukada and Ty Saunders scored on the double, pushing the Pilots' margin to 6-2. An inning later Cheney belted his first home run of the year to give the Pilots a five-run cushion.
 
That's all the run support starter Caleb Franzen (2-0) and reliever Peter Allegro would need. Franzen tossed 5.0 innings, striking out six, while Allegro pitched the final 4.0 innings, holding the 'Jacks scoreless. Allegro fanned seven to notch the save.
 
The loss goes to SFA (3-8) starter Jacob Stobart.
 
The Pilots will go after the four-game series sweep with the finale on Sunday, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at The Rorc.