Six Teams to Square Off in Yamhill County Spring Classic

George Fox is the reigning NWC champion.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

NEWBERG - Six of the Pacific Northwest’s finest small-college baseball teams will meet this week at Linfield College’s Roy Helser Field in McMinnville and George Fox University’s Morse Field in Newberg as the Yamhill County Spring Classic takes place Thursday-Sunday.

The two host teams will be joined by fellow Northwest Conference and NCAA Division III member Pacific Lutheran University, Corban College and Concordia University-Portland of the Cascade Collegiate Conference and the NAIA, and the University of British Columbia from the Canada Interuniversity Sport league and the NAIA.

The tournament is divided into two pools, with the three Northwest Conference teams in the Blue Division and the three NAIA teams in the Gold Division.

Each team will play the three teams in the opposite division once each of the first three days, with games played at both sites.

On Sunday, the No. 1, 2, and 3 teams in each pool will pair up, with all three games at Linfield.

George Fox, Pacific Lutheran, and Linfield were picked to finish 1-2-3 in the NWC pre-season coaches poll.

All three played in the Arizona Desert Classic this past week against some of the best D-III teams from California, with George Fox going 4-0, Linfield 3-1, and Pacific Lutheran 1-3.

George Fox is the reigning NWC champion after going 29-15 overall and 18-6 in the league last year.

The Bruins are led by Third Team All-America infielder Bo Thunell and five other All-Conference players, including outfielders Dan Wentzell and Drew Johnson, first baseman Bryan Donohue, and southpaw pitcher Chris Albrecht.

Linfield was the NWC runner-up last year, going 22-16 overall and 15-9 in the league.

In Scott Carnahan’s last season before turning the coaching reins over to former major leaguer and ex-Linfield star Scott Brosius, the offensive-minded Wildcats hope to win the NWC pennant behind All-NWC catcher Drew Van Cleve and outfielder Stew Davis.

Pacific Lutheran went 23-17 last year and was locked in a four-way tie for third in the NWC at 13-11.

Already 4-3 this year, the Lutes are expected to challenge the Bruins for league supremacy, led by 2006 NWC Pitcher of the Year Joe DiPietro and All-NWC outfielder Justin Whitehall.

British Columbia went 49-14 last year and finished fourth in the NAIA World Series, but must replace 13 seniors from that team.

The Thunderbirds, who are perhaps best known in baseball circles for producing current Colorado Rockies’ ace Jeff Francis, opened their season Sunday with a 6-0 win at Occidental and will play three more games in southern California before arriving in Oregon.

Concordia was 18-33 overall in 2006 and f fourth in the NAIA Region 1 standings at 12-20.

The Cavaliers, who dropped a pair at Western Oregon Sunday to open the season, will be rebuilding their lineup with only four returning starters, including All-CCC infielder Casey McLeod, but have eight pitchers back and 11 newcomers from other four-year and community colleges.

Corban hopes to improve on a 14-28 overall record and 9-21 mark in the NAIA Region 1 under first-year coach and former player Nate Mayben.

The Warriors, who are 3-4 thus far this season, lost slugger Brian Nelson to the Texas Rangers, but return All-CCC hurler Jordan Emery, catcher Jeremy Frantz, and center fielder Jamie McGraw.

YAMHILL COUNTY SPRING CLASSIC SCHEDULE

Thursday:

2:00 PM - Corban vs. George Fox - Morse Field, Newberg

5:00 PM - Concordia vs. Linfield - Helser Field, McMinnville

Friday:

10:00 AM - British Columbia vs. Pacific Lutheran - Morse Field, Newberg

2:00 PM - George Fox vs. British Columbia - Morse Field, Newberg

2:00 PM - Pacific Lutheran vs. Concordia - Helser Field, McMinnville

6:00 PM - Linfield vs. Corban - Helser Field, McMinnville

Saturday:

Noon - Corban vs. Pacific Lutheran - Helser Field, McMinnville

1:00 PM - Concordia vs. George Fox - Morse Field, Newberg

4:00 PM - British Columbia vs. Linfield - Helser Field, McMinnville

Sunday:

10:00 AM - Blue 3rd vs. Gold 3rd - Helser Field, McMinnville

2:00 PM - Blue 2nd vs. Gold 2nd - Helser Field, McMinnville

6:00 PM - Blue 1st vs. Gold 1st - Helser Field, McMinnville

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