PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots (3-0) clinched their season series against the Creighton Bluejays (0-3) this Saturday with a sweep in their doubleheader matchup. Portland took Game 1 12-1 before eking out a 4-3 win in Game 2. Both games were only seven-inning games.
Here's how the Pilots fared in both contests.
GAME 1
Game one saw the Pilots dominate, with the team scoring 12 runs for the second game in a row. Tony Boetto impressed in his Pilot debut, going 2-for-3 with four RBI's. Gabe Skoro, Evan Scavotto and Spencer Scott also each earned at least two hits on the day, with Skoro going 3-for-4 with an RBI and Scavotto and Scott going 2-for-4. Saturday's first game also marked Scott's collegiate debut.
Brock Gillis was solid in his Pilot debut, pitching four innings and earning six strikeouts while allowing only one run in a win. Joey Gartrell and Liam Hatakenaka pitched well in relief for Portland, with neither allowing a run. Cade Lommel took the loss for Creighton.
Portland once again opened the scoring in this one, getting started in the first inning. Lommel walked three batters, including the first scoring run in the game. Skoro brought in the second run with an RBI single to right field. The Pilots led 2-0 after
one.
The second inning saw even more success for the Pilots. After a walk led to another run for Portland, Boetto hit a line drive through left field to bring in two runs. Then an errant throw from Brantley Voth to second base led to two more runs getting in, including Boetto. A big five-run inning put the Pilots up 7-0.
Scavotto added to Portland's lead in the third inning with an RBI single to left field. Creighton only scored one run on the day, coming off an RBI double from Andrew Meggs in the fourth. After that, they were shutout while the Pilots added four more runs over their final two half-innings of offense. Boetto brought in two more with a line drive up the middle and Henry Muench had an RBI single before making it home himself off a wild pitch. The Pilots went on to win 12-1.
GAME 2
Game 2 was a tighter affair, with the Pilots just edging out the Bluejays after Scavotto hit an RBI single to left field that gave them a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning. The win secured the series for the Pilots.
The offense wasn't quite as plentiful for Portland as they only recorded three hits, but the hits came when they mattered most. Most notably, Briley Knight hit his first home run of the year, going 1-for-3 on the day with two RBI's. Scavotto's hit came in his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter while Trace Tammaro also went 1-for-2.
The Gillis' came out on top again in Game 2, this time with Brett Gillis recording the win. In five innings pitched, Gillis allowed three runs and seven hits, but struck out six. Peter Allegro earned a save after two innings of relief with no runs allowed.
Creighton started the scoring this time with two runs in the first inning. Alex Roden hit a line drive to center field to score one run, then made it home after Jared Wegner hit an RBI double. The Pilots' responded, however, later that inning, with Knight's home run bringing in two to even up the score.
The Bluejays took the lead for most of the game after Hogan Helligson brought Nolan Sailors in with an RBI single to make it 3-2 Bluejays. The Pilots weren't able to generate much offense, with only one hit over the next three innings.
Fortunes changed in the fifth inning. An error from Creighton third baseman Kyle Hess helped the Pilots bring one run in to make it 3-3. Scavotto checked in as a pinch hitter for Portland and hit a liner to left field that brought Nich Klemp home and gave Portland the lead soon after.
All Allegro had to do was fend off the Bluejays, and fend off he did. The junior reliever allowed just one hit and no runs as the Pilots took Game 2 to clinch the series.
The final game of the series will take place on Sunday, with first pitch set for 12 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
