WCC Baseball: Pilots Take Opener from Dons, 5-3

Portland gets a complete-game win from David Gruener and three RBI’s from James Allan.

Portland senior James Allan Photo: portlandpilots.com

PORTLAND - Portland senior James Allan knocked in three runs and junior David Gruener went the distance as the Pilots topped the San Francisco Dons 5-3 in a West Coast Conference baseball game Friday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field.

It’s the third complete-game this season for Gruener.

Portland picks up its second straight win to improve to 16-20 on the season and 3-7 in the WCC. San Francisco’s overall record is now even at 20-20, while the Dons fall to 3-7 in the conference.

Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Allan’s third RBI of the game proved to be the difference.

With pinch runner Brandon Howard on first, Allan drilled a double to the gap in left-center. Howard, who replaced Chase Powell after he singled, raced all the way around to score. A bad relay throw home allowed Allan to advance to third.

Allan then scored as the throw from catcher Jonathan Norfolk trying to get Allan at third sailed into right field, giving the Pilots a 5-3 lead.

With one out and the bases empty in the top of the ninth, Gruener (2-3) struck out the final two hitters of the game to nail down the win. He allowed three runs on 10 hits, while striking out five.

USF starter Aaron Poreda (5-5) takes the loss for the Dons. Poreda was charged with four runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings.

Reliever John Quine, who relieved Poreda in the eighth, gave up an unearned run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Daniel Morales retired the final Portland hitter in the eighth.

Portland took an early one-run lead in the bottom of the first. Allan, the designated hitter, knocked in senior outfielder Justin Pierce with a base hit to center field.

Pierce had begun the inning with a double to deep center field.

San Francisco quickly responded with a run in the second, courtesy of a solo home run by Norfolk.

The Dons added a run in the fourth and another in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.

Still down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Allan pulled the Pilots within one with a solo shot high over the left-field fence for his second home run of the season.

Then with two outs and freshman third baseman Clayton Shaw on second, senior shortstop Jesse Rodgers tied the game with an RBI double.

After Shaw had doubled down the left field line, Rodgers drilled a one-hopper that bounced off USF third baseman Derek Poppert and into the UP bullpen.

Both teams finished with 10 hits. Pierce went 3-for-5 with a run, while Rodgers was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Poppert finished with three hits and a pair of RBI’s for the Dons.

The Pilots and Dons next play the second game of the scheduled three-game series on Saturday at noon at Joe Etzel Field.

Saturday’s game was moved up from the previously scheduled 1:00 PM starting time, due to potentially rainy weather.

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