Non-Conference Baseball: Bruins Celebrate No. 5 Ranking with Win over Cavaliers

The Bruins improved to 19-1 overall with their fifth straight win.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

NEWBERG - Playing their first game since receiving a No. 5 ranking Monday in the first regular season American Baseball Coaches Association / NCAA Division III national baseball poll, the George Fox University Bruins continued their winning ways with a 6-3 non-conference victory over the Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers Wednesday afternoon at The Yard at CU.

With important league contests coming up this weekend, both teams used several pitchers, the Bruins sending seven hurlers to the mound and the Cavaliers six.

Concordia jumped on George Fox starter Shane Dalgleish for three runs in the first two innings.

Kyle Waterland singled and eventually scored from third as part of a double steal in the 1st, and the Cavs added two in the 2nd on an RBI single by Paul Jaques that scored Brennan Ingram and a run-producing double play grounder by Waterland.

The Bruins began their comeback in the 3rd as Drew Johnson singled, stole second, and scored on a single to left by Bo Thunell.

They tied it in the 5th when Thunell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Peter Shanks, and Johnson scored when Dan Wentzell’s grounder to short was mishandled.

A three-run top of the 6th, all the runs coming with two out, put the Bruins ahead for good.

Shanks and Bailey singled to put runners at the corners, and Shanks scored the tie-breaking run when Johnson was safe on an error at third.

Bryan Donohue doubled to right-center to score Bailey and Johnson for two insurance runs.

Southpaw Chris Albrecht (6-1) worked a scoreless 5th inning for the Bruins, striking out two, and got the win when his teammates scored the three runs in the 6th.

Jeff Wheeler followed with two shutout innings, fanning three, then Nick Bratney and Johnson worked a scoreless inning apiece, each striking out two, to preserve the win.

Johnson was credited with his second save of the season. The seven Bruin hurlers combined to strike out 11 in the game.

The loss went to the fourth Concordia hurler, Chris Derthick (0-1), who was the victim of the Bruins’ three unearned runs in the 6th.

Bailey was 3-for-3 and Donohue had two hits as the Bruins, hitting .372 coming into the game, collected only eight hits in all.

Shawn Turner and Jaques had two hits apiece for the Cavaliers, who had nine hits in the game.

The Bruins improved to 19-1 overall with their fifth straight win and second of the season over the Cavaliers, who dropped to 8-14.

George Fox visits Pacific Lutheran University for a three-series this weekend that could go a long way in determining the Northwest Conference championship.

The Bruins lead the league with an 11-1 record while the Lutes are second at 7-2.

The two will play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday, starting at noon both days.

Concordia goes to Corban College Friday for a single game at 2:00 PM and a doubleheader at noon Saturday in a key NAIA District 1 series.

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