SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The Bushnell University baseball team split Friday's doubleheader with No. 3 Lewis-Clark State College, dropping game one 12-5 before an 11-2 victory in game two.
Both games featured early scoring with LC State (10-4) opening the day with four home runs in the top of the first. Bushnell (10-9) flipped the script in the second game, scoring six runs in the first, including a grand slam off the bat of
Kyle Casperson.
Casperson said, "What a fun team win. We are always excited to face a team of their caliber and prove that we are a legitimate team. Sachs competed his behind off and so did the rest of the bullpen behind him.
Trevor Hammond had another vulture win, coming in and resuming what Sachs started. It was a fun ending to a beautiful day for baseball. Excited for two more tomorrow."
Sachs added, 'What a great way to come back after a loss in the first one. To come out and score six in the first like that was huge and definitely took some weight off my shoulders. Our offense did a great job bringing the bats and the bullpen was shutting down. Have a game
Kyle Casperson! Go Beacs."
The game two win was the second victory over an opponent ranked among the NAIA Top-25 in Bushnell history. The first came against the Warriors last season, when they were ranked No. 16.
Game 1: Lewis-Clark State 12, Bushnell 5
The Warriors hit four home runs in the first inning alone to get out to an early 5-0 lead. A pair of sacrifice flies made it a 7-0 advantage after two innings.
Reece Carganilla hit a two-run double to cut the margin to 7-2 but the Warriors continued to add on with a run in each of the third, fourth and sixth innings, capped off by Brandon Cabrera's second homer of the game.
Bushnell scored three runs in the eighth off homers from
Isaiah Hart and
Jordan Wilson to get within six, but LC State secured the series opener with a quick ninth.
LC was led by three RBIs apiece from Dominic Signorelli, Cabrera and
Pu'ukani De Sa. Signorelli and Nick Seamons both finished with three hits. Drake George got the win on the mound, allowing two runs on three hits in six innings.
Game 2: Bushnell 11, Lewis-Clark State 2
The Beacons turned the tables in game two, piling on six runs in the first inning. A wide throw to first scored the first two runs and Casperson brought in the next four with a grand slam to left center.
Three scoreless innings followed before LC State got on the board. The Beacons continued to capitalize on Warrior mistakes, scoring two runs on wild pitches in the fifth to make it an 8-1 lead.
Bushnell gave up a solo shot in the top of the eighth before adding three more of their own in the bottom half.
Brandon Reed drew a bases-loaded walk and
Jameson Hussey sent a double deep to left center to finish off the 11-2 victory.
Ethan Sachs got the start for the Beacons, giving up one run on four hits in 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts.
Trevor Hammond (4-1) and
Daniel Furman held the Warriors scoreless over the next 2.2 innings.
Garrett Vohs gave up one run on one hit in the eighth and
Ethan Paulson finished off the game with a hitless ninth.
Up Next: Bushnell and LC State wrap up the non-conference series with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m.
