PORTLAND, Ore. — In spite of being outhit, 12-5, Seattle U baseball recorded its first series win of the year, with a 5-3 victory over Portland in the series finale on Monday. With the result, the Redhawks moved to 2-1 on the year and tallied their first season series win over the Pilots since the 2014.
For the second time in the series, the Redhawks found themselves on the board first, as Connor O'Brien notched his first home run of the year. O'Brien's two-run shot in the third was his lone hit of the afternoon.
Then in the home half, Portland retaliated with a solo home run of its own to cut the advantage to 2-1, before eventually leveling the score in the fifth with a single to center.
Seattle U broke a three-inning scoreless drought in the seventh as it regained a two-run lead. Grant Heiser led the inning with a double, before being replaced by pinch runner Kellen Carr. In his Redhawk debut, Carr scored during the next at-bat as Kyle Sherick reached and advanced to second on a Portland throwing error. Sherick's stay at second was short-lived as Gavin Rork sent a 2-2 pitch up the middle, pushing the Seattle U advantage to 4-2.
In the ninth, Rork scored an unearned run as Austin Lively Lively reached on another Portland error, as it finished the day with five. Rork led the inning by reaching on a five-pitch walk. He then stole second before an errant throw allowed him to proceed to third.
The Pilots pulled one run back in the eighth, but their hopes of a late rally were extinguished by Seattle U arm Lucas Ford who retired the next three batters, including back-to-back strikeouts in the ninth.
Brady Liddle was credited with the victory in his Redhawk debut, as he worked 2.2 innings of relief allowing one run on four hits. No decision went to starter Nestor German in his Seattle U debut as he tossed the 5.0 innings, with two runs on seven hits. Ford meanwhile picked up his second save of the year as he tossed 1.1 innings with one hit.
At the plate, Heiser and Rork each finished the day 1-for-3, while Trevor Antonson and Julian Kodama were 1-for-4.
"We really pitched it today and had some key defensive plays to win the series," said Redhawks head coach Donny Harrel. "German was impressive in his first college start and Liddle bridged us to get to Ford who was impressive in both of his saves this series. We have always said pitching and defense win games and just some timely hitting, and that really up over these past two days."
Seattle U will have a short turnaround as it returns the Beaver State later this week for a four-game set with Oregon. First game of series is scheduled for Thursday at 4 pm.