SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Bushnell baseball opened the 2025 campaign with a series win over Simpson University, sweeping the Red Hawks 12-0 and 10-1 on Saturday at the Hamlin Sports Complex.
 
The 12-run margin in game one marks the largest margin of victory for the Beacons in school history. The previous record was an 11-run margin, set against Oregon Tech on April 15, 2023. The Beacons also gave up just two hits in the first game, tying the fewest hits allowed in a single game. Bushnell also set a record in game two with 10 runs in a single inning, beating the previous record of eight.
 
Head Coach Jamie Womack said, "I am proud of the guys for putting together a complete day of baseball. They competed well in all three phases: pitching, defense and hitting. We got two good starts out of Chapman and Proud that set us up well to win. There were a lot of contributors today and it was awesome to see some freshmen like Breault and Fahland get their first taste of competition and come out successful. Overall, I am proud of the boys from top to bottom."
 
GAME ONE: BUSHNELL 12, SIMPSON 0 (7 innings)
 
Max Chapman (1-0) got the start for the Beacons in the opener, tossing five shutout innings. Jayden Soriano and Elijah Breault each threw an inning in relief, holding the Red Hawks scoreless to secure the run-rule victory. The trio allowed just two hits.
 
Bushnell found momentum early, taking advantage of five walks and four hit batters in the contest. Seven of the Beacons' nine hits went for extra bases.
 
CJ Smith started off the scoring with an RBI-double and went on to score on a wild pitch. Kolby Amaral capped off the four-run frame with a two-run triple for his first hit in a Beacon uniform.
 
A solo homer by Cade Crist and a two-run double from Albert Jennings extended the lead to seven in the fourth and Jacob Richardson added one more with a solo shot of his own in the fifth to make it an 8-0 advantage. Bushnell went up 12 runs in the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Ethan Stacy, a triple from Nate Stevens and a two-run error by the Red Hawks.
 
GAME TWO: BUSHNELL 10, SIMPSON 1 (7 innings)
 
A 10-run third inning accounted for all of Bushnell's runs in game two. The Beacons had just three hits in the frame but were hit by five pitches and walked twice.
 
Nigel Fahland saw his first at-bats of the year and drove in a pair of runs with a single to right. Max Richards, also making his first start of the season, brought in two runs with a double. Dylan Carson led the Beacons with two hits.
 
Braden Proud had a strong start on the mound, giving up just one hit in three innings of work. Jacob Wood (1-0), Tanner Won, Alec Gums and Blake Stavros each threw an inning.
 
Up Next: Bushnell continues its three-week home stretch with a four-game series against Saint Martin's University on Feb. 14-15.