Pilots Down Highlanders for Fifth Straight Win

Freshman Rocky Gale drives in two runs in Portland’s 5-2 win over UC Riverside.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND - Junior Given Kutz pitched seven solid innings and freshman Rocky Gale drove in a pair of runs as the Portland Pilots defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders 5-2 on Saturday at the Riverside Sports Complex.

It’s the fifth straight win for Portland, which improves to 9-4 on the season.

Kutz (2-2), who picked up a complete-game win last Saturday at UC Davis, scattered eight hits and allowed just two runs. He struck out four.

Junior Chris Siegfried didn’t allow a hit and had two strikeouts with no walks in 2.0 innings of relief to pick up the save.

Trailing 2-0, the Pilots scored three runs in the top of the seventh and two more in the eighth. In the seventh, Portland began the inning with four straight hits, including two doubles.

After sophomore first baseman Chase Powell and junior Danny Meier hit two consecutive singles, senior Jesse Rodgers and Gale smacked two straight doubles to make it 3-2 in Portland’s favor.

Taylor Bills then relieved Riverside starter Pat Cassa (1-2) and got out of the inning.

The Pilots then touched Bills for two more runs in the eighth. With no outs and a runner on first, Powell drilled a double to center field that plated junior designated hitter Adam Kerr.

Meier followed with a double to score freshman Charlie Herche, who pinch ran for Powell.

Portland outhit the Highlanders 9-8. Gale finished 2-for-4 2 with two RBI’s, while both Powell and Meier went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Mark Samuelson had two hits and drove in a run for UC Riverside (11-9). Jaime Pedroza drove in the other run for the Highlanders.

Neither team committed an error.

The Pilots go for the series sweep tomorrow at 1:00 PM.

Portland topped the Highlanders 8-7 on Friday night.

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