PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland scored six runs in the late innings to complete a 9-5 comeback and claim the series over the Pacific Tigers Saturday in the season finale at Joe Etzel Field. The day started with Portland's six seniors recognized in a pregame ceremony and many of them made a big impact in their final outing with the Pilots.
The win moved Portland (27-25, 13-14 WCC) into a tie for sixth place in the West Coast Conference standings with Santa Clara, but the Broncos will secure the final spot in next week's WCC Tournament via tiebreaker. With the 27-25 overall record it marks the fourth time in the last five seasons that head coach Geoff Loomis and the Pilots finished above .500.
Senior right-hander Morgan Codron (2-0) earned the win in relief, tossing the final four innings and surrendering just two runs.
Senior second baseman Jonas Salk got on base three times and scored three runs, while senior third baseman JT Landwehr was 2-for-4 with a run, two RBI's and made some stellar defensive plays at the hot corner.
Senior center fielder Brady Bean also reached base twice and scored a run in his final appearance at The Etz.
Gage Bruce finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an insurance two-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Pilots some breathing room.
Freshman starter Will Labonte went 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits and three walks with a strikeout.
Pacific (23-28, 15-11-1) starter Garret Plata went 6.0 strong innings allowing three runs and striking out five. Nathen Nino (1-2) took the loss in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Pilots grabbed the early 2-0 lead in the second inning after one-out singles from Salk and Bruce. Landwehr came through with an RBI single plating Salk. A pair of two-out walks to Joseph Fagan and Cody Nitowitz made it 2-0 before the Tigers got out of the bases loaded jam with a strikeout.
A two-run homer from Grant MacArthur in the third tied the game and then Pacific took the lead with an RBI single from Jake Tandy. Labonte induced a groundball double play to end the inning.
The Tigers tacked on one more in the sixth as Diego Davis came through with a run-scoring single.
Portland got a bases loaded walk from Landon Kauffman to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth, but Plata again got out of trouble when Cole Katayama Stall hit a hard liner right at the second baseman.
The Pilots opened it up with a four-run seventh inning to go up 7-4. Trey Swygart got aboard on a one-out single and consecutive hit batters loaded the bases. Landwehr then brought home the tying run when he became the third straight hit batter. Joseph Fagan legged out an RBI infield single and Nolan Miller sent a pinch-hit, two-run single to right center capping the rally.
Bruce belted his second home run of the season deep over the left field fence to make it 9-5. Codron allowed one run in the ninth but got out of the jam to secure the win.
GAME NOTES
» Portland scored nine runs on 10 hits with one error.
» Pacific had five runs on five hits and no errors.
» Both teams walked five batters.
» Salk (2), Landwehr and Bruce were all hit by pitches.
» Portland left 10 runners on base and the Tigers stranded nine.
» Senior pitchers Carter Gaston and Kaden Segel were the final two Pilot senior recognized. Segel picked up the win Friday in relief, while Gaston made his final appearance at Oregon State on Tuesday.
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