SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – After suffering their worst loss of the season on Friday, the Bushnell baseball team bounced back in a big way on Saturday, sweeping a double-header from Warner Pacific University, 11-3 and 14-4 with game two ending on the ten-run rule in the eighth inning.
 
Bushnell (22-5, 12-4 CCC) had given up 18 runs on 17 hits Friday, but the pitching staff rebounded in a big way on Saturday, led by a 5.2 shutout inning relief appearance from Nate Rasmussen (pictured) in the opener and a five-inning shutout start from Max Chapman in game two.
 
Head Coach Jamie Womack said, "Today was a great bounce back from yesterday which was far below our standard. I am proud of our guys response to some adversity, and it was awesome to see some seniors like Jameson Hussey and Nate Rasmussen have some great moments today. Max Chapman continues to get better as the season progresses, but there were a lot of contributors today. We just need to come out strong tomorrow and win the series."
 
GAME ONE: Bushnell 11, Warner Pacific 3
 
Reigning CCC Pitcher of the Week Braden Proud had a rough first inning for the Beacons to start the day, giving up three runs on just two hits. He went 2.1 innings, but finished his outing with his fifth hit batter, which brought a call to Rasmussen out of the pen.
 
Rasmussen (1-0) was able to steady the ship and keep his season ERA at 0.00 as he faced the minimum number of hitters in his 15.2 innings, giving up just one harmless hit and striking out three batters.
 
After making it 3-1 in the first inning, Bushnell posted a five-spot in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead for good. Ethan Stacy made it 4-3 with a three-run home run, followed by a run-scoring double from Will Hudler and an RBI single from Max Richards to give Bushnell a 6-3 lead.
 
Jordan Wilson led off the fifth inning with a solo home run and the Beacons pushed across four unearned runs in the sixth as they took it to 11.
 
Chase Nye, Stacy, and Richards finished the game with two hits apiece for the Beacons with Nye scoring three times and Stacy owning four RBI.
 
The Knights had just three hits in the game including a double from Alex Nesbit and a two-run single from Jarrod Seibel in the first inning. Josiah Nickel (0-3) took the loss for Warner Pacific, allowing seven earned runs over five innings.
 
GAME TWO: Bushnell 14, Warner Pacific 4 (8 Innings)
 
A walk-off single from Nate Stevens capped off a seven-run eighth inning as the Beacons clinched the sweep with a run-rule victory. Bushnell produced 14 hits in the game, led by two monster home runs from Cade Crist, and a two-run blast from Jamison Hussey.
 
Crist finished the day batting 3-for-4 with three runs and five RBI and Stevens was 3-for-3. Stacy added two more hits to complete a four-hit day.
 
The offense backed up another impressive start from Max Chapman (3-0), striking out eight batters in five shutout innings and scattering just three singles. Garrett Vohs later closed out the contest, striking out a pair of batters in the eighth inning to earn his second save of the season.
 
UP NEXT: The Beacons, currently just a half-game out of first place in the CCC, will look win their seventh straight series to open the season when they take on Warner Pacific (7-14, 6-10) in game four on Sunday at 11:00 am.