Wayland Baptist, an NAIA Div. I school in Plainview, Texas, erupted for seven runs over the final four innings to pin a 10-2 loss on the Whitman men's baseball team Thursday morning in the opening round of the Arizona Desert Classic in Glendale, Ariz.
In spoiling Whitman's season opener, the Pioneers improved their early season record to 3-4. Wayland Baptist plays in the Greater Sooner Conference and last spring posted records of 13-15 in league and 29-29 overall.
Wayland Baptist plated two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. Pat Johnston, a junior lefty who started on the mound for the Missionaries, held the Pioneers in check until they tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth. Three of the six runs Johnston surrendered were unearned due to a pair of Whitman errors.
The Missionaries, who started four sophomores and two freshmen in the field, collected seven hits and four walks against three Pioneer pitchers. Senior rightfielder Drew Pearsall, hitting lead-off, singled, drew two base on balls and scored a run. Freshman centerfielder Dan White singled twice in four at-bats, and freshman catcher Mike Minckler singled in a run.
Kramer Phillips, a sophomore second baseman, rapped a double for the Missionaries. Sophomores Adam Knappe and Adam Knappe also had Whitman hits.
In his six innings of work, Johnston scattered eights hits and struck out three. Freshman Nick Christman hurled the final three innings for Whitman.
The Missionaries continue tournament play at 10 a.m. Friday against the University of La Verne, which is ranked No. 10 in Collegiate Baseball's NCAA Div. III preseason poll.
With a lineup laden with freshmen and sophomores, the Whitman men's baseball team was no match for nationally-ranked La Verne on Friday as the DIII Arizona Desert Classic continued its four-day run. The Leopards, ranked No. 10 in one NCAA Div. III preseason poll, scored eight runs in the first three innings and rolled to a 13-1 victory in a game played in Anthem, Ariz.
Sophomore Mike Rathwell singled, stole a base and scored Whitman's only run in the third inning. The Missionaries had four hits on the day, including doubles by freshman Mike Minckler and sophomore Kramer Phillips. Senior Drew Pearsall had Whitman's fourth hit, a single.
La Verne, which opened its season earlier this month with three losses to NAIA Div. I teams, upped its record to 2-4. The Pioneers went 31-15 last season and claimed their second consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. Whitman is off to an 0-2 start.
Two Missionary freshmen, right-hander Ranger Sciacca and lefty Calvin Davis, pitched for the Missionaries. Scott Marcus, a junior catcher for La Verne, had a career-day at the plate, knocking in seven runs with two home runs, a triple and a single. Marcus also had a home run in two at-bats Thursday in La Verne's 4-3 11-inning loss to Whitworth.
Whitman wraps up its tournament play with two games on Saturday. The Missionaries play Cal State-East Bay at 10 a.m. and finish with a 2 p.m. game against Lousiana College.
Lamonte Toney clubbed five hits, including a pair of home runs, to power Cal State East Bay to a 25-6 thrashing of the Whitman men's baseball team Saturday morning at the DIII Arizona Desert Classic. The game was stopped after the seventh inning because the Pioneers were 10 or more runs ahead.
Toney, who smacked a sixth-inning grand slam, finished his day with five hits, nine RBI and four runs scored. He also drew a base on balls in six at-bats and stole a base.
The Pioneers jumped in front 12-2 after three innings and tacked on 11 more runs in their final two at-bats. They rapped a total of 23 hits.
Sophomore Adam Knappe ripped two doubles and knocked in three runs to pace the Missionary offense. Freshman Mike Minckler, who had one RBI, had two singles in his two trips to the plate.
Sophomore Kramer Phillips and freshman Matt Morris-Rosenfeld also doubled for the Missionaries. Morris-Rosenfeld scored a run and knocked in one. Senior Drew Pearsall had a single for Whitman.
A 5-4 lead slipped away as the Whitman men's baseball team dropped a 6-5 decision to Louisiana College Saturday afternoon in its final game of the DIII Arizona Desert Classic. Because of Whitman's scheduled flight home, the game was limited to seven innings.
Whitman scored twice in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-4 lead. But Louisiana plated single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to pull out the win.
Sophomore Kramer Phillips had two singles in fourth at-bats to pace the Missionary offense. Sophomore Mike Rathwell and freshman Matt Morris-Rosenfeld ripped doubles for Whitman. Rathwell knocked in a run while Phillips and Morris-Rosenfeld both scored a run.
Senior J.D. Fischer and sophomores Luke Marshall and Adam Knappe also had hits for the Missionaries.
Adam Maldonado, a senior left-hander, went the distance on the mound for Whitman, scattering nine hits while striking out three.
Whitman made the most of its opportunities, scoring four runs on just three hits, but Portland's Concordia University parlayed a big inning into a 6-4 victory Friday morning in Newberg, Ore., as the Yamhill County Spring Classic baseball tournament continued its four-day run.
The seven-team tournament continues through Sunday with games taking place at both George Fox University in Newberg and Linfield College in nearby McMinnville. Whitman plays its next game at 6 p.m. today against Linfield.
Thursday's loss was the second consecutive narrow setback for the young Missionaries, who dropped to 0-5 on the season. Concordia, an NAIA school, upped its record to 3-2.
Whitman's Pat Johnston, a junior left-hander, shut out Concordia through five innings, allowing just three singles. Meanwhile, the Missionary offense threatened but came up empty in the top of the fifth. Freshman Dan White and sophomores Luke Marshall and Adam Knappe drew walks to load the bases with one out. A strike-out and infield pop-up, however, left all three runners stranded.
Concordia broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning. Two singles, sandwiched around a base on balls, produced one run. With two outs, a Whitman infield throwing error opened the door for three unearned runs, staking the Cavaliers to a 4-0 lead.
Whitman cut its deficit in half with two runs in the top of the seventh. After White reached on a fielding error and Marshall, a balk moved both runners into scoring position with two outs. Senior J.D. Fischer followed with a two-run single to right field.
Freshman Nick Christman tossed the final two innings, giving up two runs -- one of them unearned -- on three hits.
Trailing 6-2 headed to the top of the ninth, the Missionaries made things interesting in their final at-bat. Sophomore Mike Rathwell doubled, Knappe walked and senior Drew Pearsall singled through the left side to load the bases. Rathwell then scored as Concordia pulled off its third double play of the game. A second Missionary scored on a Cavaliers fielding error, pulling Whitman to within 6-4. With the tying run at the plate, Kyle Well, Concordia's third pitcher, fanned the next hitter to end the game.
The Missionaries drew a total of nine walks. White walked three times. Marshall and Knappe each collected two free passes.
Despite a five-run fifth inning, Whitman fell victim to reigning Northwest Conference co-champion Linfield 16-6 Friday night in McMinnville, Ore. The loss drops the Missionaries to 0-6 on the young season and to 0-2 in the Yamhill County Spring Classic baseball tournament.
After a scoreless first inning, the powerful Linfield lineup erupted. The Wildcats mounted a two-out rally, tallying four runs on four consecutive base hits, highlighted by a two-run Brett Glover home run. Whitman got one back in the bottom of the inning when freshman Dan White singled and later scored when Linfield’s catcher overthrew third base on White’s attempted steal.
The relentless Wildcats piled on five more in the fourth inning and another six in the fifth to push their lead to 15-1. Brian Baker jumped on a pitch in the six-run fifth for a 380-foot grand slam to left-center field.
Whitman mounted a rally in the fifth with three consecutive hits to start the inning. After Drew Pearsall and Mike Rathwell singled, Kramer Phillips rapped a run-scoring single to center. A sacrifice fly by clean-up hitter J.D. Fischer, RBI singles by John Nelson and Chad Frisk, and an Adam Knappe double accounted for the remainder of Whitman's runs.
Freshman right-hander Trygve Madsen pitched the final two innings for Whitman, allowing one earned run on two hits, with a strikeout and a walk.
The game was called after seven innings due to the tournament's 10-run rule. Whitman plays its next tournament on Saturday against Corban College. The game will be played in McMinnville at 6 p.m.
A a great outing from freshman pitcher Ranger Sciacca wasn't enough to keep the Whitman men’s baseball team from dropping a 3-0 Saturday evening decision to Corban College (formerly Western Baptist) at the Yamhill County Spring Classic. Whitman falls to 0-7 on the season, while Corban improves to 2-1.
Sciacca, a 6-2 right-hander from Bainbridge Island, Wash., held the Warriors scoreless through four innings before giving up two unearned runs in the fifth. He scattered seven hits and seven strikeouts over seven innings, while surrendering his only earned run in the sixth frame. Calvin Davis, also a freshman, pitched a scoreless eighth for the Missionaries.
Meanwhile, the Whitman offense struggled as pitcher Jordan Emery mustered a fine performance for Corban. Emery allowed just a single hit in seven innings of work, while striking out seven and walking just one.
Adam Knappe broke up the no-hitter in the sixth inning with a single up the middle. After a fielder’s choice put John Nelson at first, Mike Rathwell drew a two-out walk. The Missionaries executed a double-steal to put both runners in scoring position, but a groundout ended the Missionary rally.
Whitman faces the University of British Columbia Sunday in its final game of the tournament.
The Whitman men’s baseball team finished the Yamhill County Spring Classic winless after falling to the University of British Columbia 19-1 Sunday morning. The Missionaries drop to 0-8 on the season, while the Thunderbirds are 5-5.
The big bats of the Thunderbirds were too much for a tired Missionary pitching staff. British Columbia hammered out 23 hits in seven innings of play before the 10-run rule took effect. The top four hitters in the British Columbia lineup combined for 13 hits, nine runs scored, and 13 RBIs.
Whitman was held to just a single hit for the second consecutive game. While freshman Mike Minckler had the sole Missionary hit -- a sixth-inning double, Whitman drew seven walks. The lone Missionary run came in the second inning when Minckler, Luke Marshall and Derek Clovis drew three consecutive walks to begin the inning. Freshman Dan White then drove home the run with a groundout.
The Missionaries open Northwest Conference play next weekend. They travel to Tacoma to face Pacific Lutheran in a three-game set. There will be a double-header Saturday starting at noon, followed by a third game at noon Sunday.
The Whitman baseball team opened Northwest Conference play with a 7-1 loss in the first game of a Saturday afternoon twinbill at Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma, Wash.
Pacific Lutheran did the bulk of its damage early, scoring three runs in the first inning and two runs in the third. The Missionaries plated its only run in the seventh inning when senior J.D. Fischer, who had singled to left field, took second on a wild pitch and later scored on an error.
Pacific Lutheran quelled any thoughts of a Missionaries comeback, however, by tallying two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to complete the game’s scoring.
Sophomore Mike Rathwell had two hits for the Missionaries. PLU's Jeff Caley earned the win for the Lutes, pitching a complete game and facing only two batters more than the minimum.
Pacific Lutheran scored four runs in the second inning and rolled to a 10-1 victory over the Whitman men's baseball team in the second game of a Saturday twinbill in Tacoma, Wash. The loss dropped Whitman to 0-2 in the NWC and 0-10 on the season. The Lutes are 2-0 in league and 7-4 overall.
After its big second inning, PLU added a single tally in the fourth inning and then erupted for five runs and 10-0 lead in the fifth frame.
The Missionaries were poised for a big inning in the seventh. After senior J.D. Fischer reached on an error and freshman Mike Minckler rapped a single, sophomore Luke Marshall walked to load the bases with two outs. Freshman Derek Clovis delivered a clutch single to score a run. A ground-out ended the threat.
Sophomore Adam Knappe and freshman Dan White led the Missionaries with two hits apiece. The Lutes finished the day having used just two pitchers. Joe DiPietro tossed PLU's second complete game of the afternoon.
The Missionaries and Lutes finish their three-game set with a noon game on Sunday.
The Whitman baseball team concluded a frustrating first weekend of Northwest Conference play Sunday afternoon with a 13-2 loss at Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma, Wash. The Missionaries, who dropped a pair of games to the Lutes on Saturday, are now 0-11 on the season and 0-3 in the NWC. Pacific Lutheran, picked to finish third in the conference in a preseason poll, is now 8-4 overall and 3-0 in league.
Continuing a trend that began in Saturday's games, the Lutes put some crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the early innings Sunday. Their five runs in the second inning, followed by four runs in the third and three more in the fourth, quickly put the game out of Whitman's reach.
Freshman Mike Minckler drove in both Missionary runs with a one-out hit in the seventh inning. Minkler's double down the left-field line scored sophomore Kramer Phillips and senior J.D. Fischer, each of whom had drawn walks.
Freshman Dan White had his second two-hit game of the weekend for the Missionaries, going two-for-four with a double. Fischer and freshman Derek Clovis also had hits for the Whitman.
Missionary freshman Pete Stadmeyer was a steadying presence out of the Whitman bullpen. The left-hander tossed the final three innings, allowing just one run. Pacific Lutheran's Aaron Fulmer pitched seven innings of four-hit ball to earn the win for the Lutes.
Whitman, after playing its first 11 games on the road, has its its first home game slated for this Wednesday at Borleske Stadium. The Missionaries host Central Washington in a non-conference game set to start at 4 p.m.
Whitman stays at home next weekend, hosting Pacific in a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday.
Digging itself a big hole early the Whitman baseball team dropped the first game of a Saturday double-header 17-3 to visiting Northwest Conference foe Pacific.
The Missionaries drop to 0-4 in the NWC and 0-12 overall on the season. The Boxers improve to 5-6 on the year, 2-2 in Conference play.
Pacific powered ahead early with an eight run second inning highlighted by Robert Lloyd’s three-run bomb to push its lead to 10-0 after two innings of play.
After being held hitless through three innings Whitman mustered up a rally in the fourth sparked by a one out double off the bat of designated-hitter Drew Pearsall. After J.D. Fischer drew a walk, a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position setting up Mike Minckler who drove in the first Missionary run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. The inning ended with just the one run crossing the plate.
Singles by J.D. Fischer and Chad Frisk and then a Kramer Phillips walk loaded the bases for the Missionaries with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Dan White then delivered a two run single before Pacific was able to smother the rally and win the game.
Mike Rathwell and Adam Knappe also managed a base-hit apiece for the Missionaries.
Boxer lead-off man Ryan Raagas reached base all seven times he came to bat, going 4-4 from the plate and drawing three walks, while driving in three RBI and scoring four runs. Lloyd the game 3-4 with 3 RBI.
The second inning of the late game was also kind to the Boxers who put up 10 runs on just five hits to break the game wide open early. Down big early Whitman struggled to figure out Pacific starter Chris Loo, as the boxers cruised to a 16-0 victory.
Whitman drops to 0-13 on the season, 0-5 in Northwest Conference play. Pacific improves to 6-6 overall, and 3-2 in Northwest Conference play.
Pacific first-baseman Matt McCord provided the power in the Boxer’s ten-run second inning with a three-run homerun over the left field fence.
Whitman struggled to get much going on offense. Singles by Mike Minckler and Derek Clovis in the first and third innings respectively would be the only hits of the ballgame. In the bottom of the thirdan Adam Knappe walk pushed Clovis into scoring position, but a double-play would end the inning.
McCord ended the second game 2-5 with four RBI. Shortstop Nick Williams had three hits for the boxers to go with two runs and two RBI.
The final game of the three game set will take place tomorrow at Noon at Borleske Stadium.
The Whitman baseball team narrowly missed pulling out the third game of its weekend series with Pacific, falling 5-3 after surrendering a pair of late inning runs.
The Missionaries are still looking for their first victory of the season, falling to 0-6 in the Northwest Conference, 0-14 overall. After the sweep Pacific improves to 4-2 in the NWC, 7-6 overall.
Pacific manufactured the first run of the ballgame in the third after a Scott Yasumoto single was followed by a sacrifice bunt, a pass ball, and then a Frankie Guros squeeze bunt.
Whitman evened the game up at one apiece in the bottom of the fifth. Adam Knappe’s sacrifice bunt got Luke Marshall, who leadoff the inning with a walk, to second. An error then allowed Marshall to score.
The Boxers built a two run lead in the top of the sixth, but the feisty Missionaries wouldn’t quit. After a Dan White single, second baseman Kramer Phillips laced a two-run homerun over the left field fence to knot the contest up at three.
An RBI double by DH Robert Lloyd would put Pacific up for good in the eighth inning. They would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Whitman lefty Pete Stadmeyer pitched a solid five and a third innings, surrendering just three earned runs and scattering five hits.
Along with his big sixth inning homerun Phillips had a pair of base hits, ending his day 3-4 from the plate. Mike Minckler and Chad Frisk also added base knocks for the Missionaries.
Boxer starter Adam Azril was sensational, going the distance and striking out 12 whole giving up just two earned runs. Zach Gatenebein had a pair of hits for Pacific as well as driving in two runs. Yasumoto and Nick Williams also had a pair of hits.
Whitman travels to Newberg, Ore. next weekend for a tough three game set with perennial powerhouse George Fox.
Pacific will take on Concordia on Tuesday.
Freshman southpaw Pete Stadmeyer's solid outing in game two wasn't enough to hold George Fox at bay as the Bruins scored a 6-1 victory to complete a doubleheader sweep of Whitman on Saturday in Newberg, Ore. George Fox won the opener 13-0.
With Stadmeyer on the hill in the nightcap, Whitman took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the third inning. Sophomore chad Frisk singled to left, took second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Mike Rathwell and scored on senior J.D. Fischer's single to right.
Meanwhile, Stadmeyer held the Bruins scoreless on three singles through three innings. George Fox pulled even in the fourth frame, scoring a run on back-to-back, one-out extra-base hits. The Bruins took the lead for good in the fifth inning, using a base on balls, double, bunt single and run-scoring fielder's choice to plate two runs. George Fox tacked on three runs against Whitman's bullpen in the seventh inning to complete the game's scoring.
Sophomores Kramer Phillips and Chad Frisk had Whitman's only other hits in the second game.
After jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one, George Fox broke it open with three runs in the fourth and six more in the sixth inning. Whitman's best scoring opportunity came in the top of sixth, when Phillips singled and advanced to second on Rathwell's sacrifice bunt. Freshman Mike Minckler walked with two outs, but a ground-ball out ended the inning.
Kramer had a pair of hits in the game. Freshman Dan White and sophomore Adam Knappe also had hits for the Missionaries.
After collecting just eight hits in Saturday's twinbill, Whitman got its bats going Sunday afternoon as the Missionaries and George Fox completed a three-game Northwest Conference baseball series in Newberg, Ore.
Whitman ripped eight hits and scored five times in the first three innings, but as the game played out, that wasn't nearly enough to keep pace as the Bruins slugged their way to a 25-6 victory. George Fox tied a school record with 28 hits and scored in every inning for the first time in school history.
The Bruins improved to 12-6 on the season and 6-3 in the NWC. The Missionaries, who fell to 0-17 overall and 0-9 in conference, started four sophomores, two freshmen and one senior in the field, in addition to using two freshmen in the DH and starting pitcher roles.
Whitman took a 1-0 lead in the top of first inning, when a single by sophomore Kramer Phillips set the table for senior J.D. Fischer's run-scoring double. After George Fox scored twice in the bottom of the first, the Missionaries regained the lead with two runs in the top of the second. Singles by sophomore Like Marshall, freshman Derek Clovis and sophomore Chad Frisk accounted for one run, and a Clovis tallied the second on a double-steal with Frisk.
The Bruins took the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of second, but Whitman made it 6-5 with two runs in the top of the third. Fischer led off with a single and later scored on Marshall's double down the left-field line. Clovis then doubled to left-center to drive home a second run.
The George Fox offense continued to roll, however, scoring a total of 11 runs in the fourth, fifth and six innings to blow the game open. Whitman scored its final run in the ninth inning when Frisk singled, took second base on a wild pitch and scored on a Phillips single up the middle.
Clovis, Whitman's designated hitter, had three hits in four trips to the plate to spark Whitman's 12-hit attack. The Missionaries also got two hits each from Phillips, Fischer, Marshall and Frisk.
Whitman has a non-conference game slated for Tuesday afternoon at Central Washington in Ellensburg, Wash. The Missionaries then host Linfield in a three-game NWC series next weekend at Borleske Stadium.
NCAA Div. II Central Washington ran its season record to 8-5 with a 14-0 non-conference baseball victory over Whitman Tuesday afternoon in Ellensburg, Wash.
Junior lefty Pat Johnston and freshman right-hander Nick Christman held the host squad scoreless through the first three innings. Johnston fanned two and surrendered a lone single in his two innings of work, while Christman faced just three batters in the third inning. Central's leadoff hitter in the third reached on a fielding error but then was thrown out by Whitman catcher Mike Minkler in an attempted steal of second base.
Trying to keep his pitching staff fresh for three Northwest Conference games this weekend, Whitman coach Casey Powell used a total of seven pitchers in the game. Central Washington scored once in the fourth frame and then erupted for eight runs in the fifth. The Wildcats finished the day with 17 hits in their eight trips to the plate.
Issac Finch, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior, tossed the first six innings for Central to pick up the win. Two relievers finished the shutout.
Whitman sophomore Kramer Phillips led off the game with an infield single, but the Missionaries managed just one more hit the rest of the way. Senior J.D. Fischer singled to center field with two outs in the fourth inning and advanced to second when Minckler drew a base on balls. A ground-ball out ended the threat.
The Division III Missionaries left two more runners stranded in the fifth inning. Freshmen Matt Morris-Rosenfeld and John Nelson both reached base on walks. Nelson walked twice in his three plate appearances.
Whitman hosts Linfield in this weekend's NWC series at Borleske Stadium. A twinbill starts at noon Saturday, followed by a single game at noon on Sunday.
Linfield dented the scoreboard for a total of 46 runs in sweeping a pair of Northwest Conference baseball games from Whitman Sunday afternoon at Borleske Stadium. The Wildcats won the opener 17-7 and then poured it on for a 29-4 win in game two.
The day started well enough for the Missionaries when sophomore shortstop Adam Knappe led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to left-center field. After senior J.D. Fischer lined out to right field, sophomore Kramer Phillips drew a base on balls and then pulled off a double-steal with Knappe. Freshmen Mike Minkler and Derek Clovis followed with run-scoring singles to give the Missionaries a 2-0 lead.
Linfield pulled even with two runs in the second inning and took the lead for good on freshman Don Bard's lead-off home run in the fourth. The Wildcats extended their lead to 8-2 in the top of the fifth inning, but Whitman bounced back with three more runs in the bottom of the frame. Singles by Knappe and Phillips set the table, and as they did in the first inning, Minkler and Clovis followed with back-to-back RBI-singles. Freshman Dan White plated the third Missionary run of the inning with a groundout.
The Wildcats kept up the pressure, pushing their lead to 11-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Whitman scored twice to keep the game close. With two outs, Knappe walked and scored on Fischer's line-shot home run over the left-center field fence.
That was all the offense Whitman could muster, however, while Linfield tacked on six more runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The final Wildcat runs scored on senior Brian Baker's three-run home run.
Knappe finished game one with three hits, including a double, and a base on balls. He scored three times for the Missionaries.
The nightcap was no contest as Linfield scored early and often. The Wildcats led 12-1 after three innings and erupted for eight runs in the seventh inning. Stew Davis, a sophomore designated hitter, sparked the Wildcats with two doubles and four singles in six official at-bats. He also was hit twice by pitches, scored five times and knocked in five runs.
Fischer scored Whitman's first run after reaching on a two-base Linfield error to open the second inning. He later scored on a Clovis RBI-groundout.
Fischer scored again in the fourth inning. He rapped a one-out single, moved to second base on Minkler's single and came home on a single by Clovis.
Whitman tallied its last two runs in the fifth inning. After sophomore Mike Rathwell was hit by a pitch, Phillips singled. A Linfield error to one Missionary run and Minkler knocked home the second with a sacrifice fly to right field.
As he did in game one, Knappe reached base in four of his five at-bats. He singled three times and was hit by a pitch.
The two teams complete their three-game NWC series with a single game at 3 p.m. Monday at Borleske. The start of the series, orginally scheduled for Saturday, was pushed back a day by rain.
Senior outfielder Jonny Anderson ripped four hits and collected three RBI to spark Linfield to a 15-1 Northwest Conference baseball victory over Whitman Monday afternoon at Borleske Stadium.
With Whitman using three freshmen on the mound, the Wildcats sprayed 23 hits around the park to complete a rain-delayed, three-game sweep of the Missionaries. Linfield upped its record to 6-3 in the NWC and 12-9 on the season. Whitman, which has just one senior and no juniors among its active position players, slipped to 0-12 in league and 0-21 overall.
Senior Jordon Rasmussen tossed five strong innings, fanning seven and giving up just three hits, to get the win for Linfield. Mike Nelson, a Wildcat sophomore whose jaw was broken by a line drive in late February, continued his comeback with two innings of scoreless relief.
The Missionaries, who left two runners stranded in the third inning, broke through with their lone run in the eighth inning. Freshman center fielder John Nelson led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout and scored on sophomore shortstop Adam Knappe’s single through the hole at short.
Knappe had two hits on the day, giving him eight hits in 12 at-bats during the three-game series with Linfield. Senior J.D. Fischer also had two hits in Monday’s finale, in addition to being hit by a pitch. Sophomore Kramer Phillips and freshman Mike Minckler contributed one hit apiece to Whitman's offense.
The Missionaries hit the road next weekend, playing at Whitworth in Spokane, Wash. A twinbill starts at noon Saturday followed by a noon single game on Sunday.
Linfield hosts Willamette next weekend.
The Whitman men's baseball team dropped a tight 6-4 decision in the opening game of a planned double-header at Whitworth's Merkel Field, but the second half of the day's twin bill was suspended by rain with the Missionaries trailing by 10-1 in the top of the second inning. The suspended game will continue tomorrow at 11 am and will be followed by the third game of the teams' weekend series.
With the loss the Missionaries record slid to 0-22, 0-13 in conference, while Whitworth evened its overall record at 12-12 and improved its conference mark to 6-4.
Despite the loss the Missionaries outhit Whitworth 14-12, with every Missionary batter registering at least one hit. Sophomore Mike Rathwell led the offensive assault, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Rathwell's run came in the fifth inning and evened the score at 1-1. Whitworth had scored a lone run in the third inning to take the early lead.
Whitworth regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth frame, using four singles and a Missionary error to plate two more runs, only one of them earned. But in the top of the sixth the Missionaries again battled back to even the score. Senior J.D. Fischer started the inning with a single and an advanced to second on a balk. Dan White's single advanced him to third, and he was plated by Luke Marshall's RBI ground-out. Then Rathwell's single to left center scored White, who had advanced to second on Marshall's ground-out.
But the Missionaries proved unable to shut down the Pirates hitters, allowing Whitworth to score twice more in the bottom of the sixth inning and then again in the seventh to make the score 6-3.
A Whitman rally in the eighth inning netted one run, as Chad Frisk singled down the left field line, plating freshman John Nelson, who had singled and taken second on a wild pitch.
The Missionaries received a strong performance on the hill from junior Pat Johnston, who, despite taking the loss, went the distance for Whitman while walking only one batter.
Cody Person pitched eight solid innings in the win for Whitworth, and Jason Weatherman came on for the ninth and earned a save. They were led offensively by Dustin Frank, who went 3-for-4 on the game, and Ryne Webb who had two hits and two RBI.
While Rathwell led Whitman with three hits, Fischer, White, and Nelson all had two. Adam Knappe had the Missionaries first RBI, driving in Rathwell with a single in the fifth. Despite their strong offensive performance, the Missionaries were left wondering what might have been, as they left ten runners on base in their nine innings at the plate.
The teams will pick up where they left off in today's postponed game. Whitworth leads 10-1, while Whitman has the bases loaded in the top of the second with two outs all ready recorded.
The Whitman baseball team dug itself a deep hole yesterday, giving up ten runs in the first inning before having the game postponed by rain in the second inning. The 10-1 deficit proved too much to overcome in the game that was finished today, and the Missionaries dropped the game by a score of 16-6.
The game had been postponed with two outs in the top of the second, with Missionary sophomore Adam Knappe at the plate and the bases loaded. Knappe provided an early highlight for the Missionaries, slugging a bases-clearing double to close the gap to six runs. That was as close as the game would get, though, as Whitworth tacked on single runs in the second and fifth frames before tacking on four more in the seventh.
Whitman's other runs came in the eighth inning, courtesy of sophomore Kramer Phillips' two-run homer two right field. It was Phillips team-leading second home run of the year. The Missionaries also received a solid relief performance from Calvin Davis, who allowed just three runs, two of them earned in five-and-a-third innings of work.
Luke Marshall was the only Missionary to record two hits in the postponed game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Freshman John Nelson had the Missionaries first RBI, hitting a bases loaded sac fly in the second inning before the game was postponed yesterday.
First-baseman Mike Marlow hit two home runs for Whitworth in the day's first game, and Brandon Zimmerman allowed two runs in six innings for the win.
The day's second game was all Whitworth, as the Pirates claimed an 11-0 victory. They put up four runs in the first inning and never looked back, garnering thirteen hits in the game.
Knappe continued to swing the bat well for the Missionaries, collecting two hits from the leadoff spot. Phillips, who had been a late-game substitution and had only one at-bat in the day's first game, went 1-for-3 with a walk while hitting in the two-hole. Freshman Pete Stadmeyer continued his solid pitching for the Missionaries, keeping the game within reach during his six innings of work. When he exited after the sixth inning Whitman was only down 6-0, and of the six Whitworth runs only four had been earned.
Infielder Nick Froman swung a big stick for the Pirates in their last game of the weekend, going 2-for-3 with a walk and hitting a two-run shot in the first inning, his fifth home run of the season. Steve Hare went the distance for Whitworth to earn the win.
With the pair of losses on the day the Missionaries dropped to 0-24 on the season, 0-15 in the Northwest Conference. Whitworth is now 14-12 overall, 8-4 against NWC foes.
Whitman will play four home games against Simpson University next week. The series begins with a rare Thursday game scheduled to start at 7 p.m., continues with a Friday double-header beginning at 4 pm, and concludes with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday.
Pat Johnston tossed eight solid innings and four Missionaries rapped two hits each as Whitman chalked up its first baseball victory of the season with a 9-3 win over Simpson University Thursday night at Borleske Stadium.
The two teams meet three more times over the next two days. Billed as this year's Kight Invitational, the four-game series continues with a 4 p.m. twinbill on Friday and concludes with a 1 p.m. finale on Saturday.
With a roster nearly void of seniors and juniors, the young Missionaries are now 1-24 season. Thursday's loss dropped Simpson, an NAIA Division II team from Redding, Calif., to 2-17 on the season.
Whitman jumped in front for good with a three-run second inning. Freshman Mike Minckler led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when freshman Derek Clovis rapped an RBI-groundout to second base. Freshman Dan White and sophomore Luke Marshall both walked and later scored when freshman John Nelson's bunt attempt was thrown into right field.
Simpson tallied its first run in the top of the third, thanks to singles by Mike Berry and Jeff Mielke and a sacrifice fly by Brad Hurn. Both Hurn and Matt Schreiner finished with two hits in the game for the Red Hawaks.
The Missionaries countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Doubles by Fischer and sophomore Kramer Phillips set the stage for run-scoring sacrifice flys by Minckler and Clovis.
Whitman extended its lead to 8-1 with three runs in the fifth inning. After Phillips singled, Minckler and Clovis were hit by pitches to load the bases. Phillips scored on a passed ball and Marshall walked to re-load the bases. Nelson picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice and sophomore Adam Knappe doubled home the inning's final run.
The Missionaries notched their final run in the seventh inning. Knappe, who reached base on a fielder's choice after Nelson opened the inning with awalk, scored on sophomore Mike Rathwell's double.
Johnston, a junior left-hander, scattered 10 singles over eight innings to get the victory for Whitman. He gave up two runs while fanning three and walking three. Freshman Ranger Sciacca hurled the ninth inning for Whitman, recording the final out himself on a roller down the first base line.
Knappe, Fischer, Phillips and Clovis all had two hits each for Whitman.
Bud Kight, a 1952 Whitman graduate who starred in both basketball and baseball, sponsors the annual Kight Invitational. He played his prep ball at Wa-Hi.
Whitman split a twi-night baseball doubleheader with the visiting Simpson Red Hawks on Friday, dropping the first game 6-1 before claiming a wild 20-10 victory in game two. Both ends of the twinbill were seven innings.
Whitman takes a 2-25 season record into a final game between the two clubs at noon Saturday at Borleske Stadium. The Red Hawks, now 3-18 on the season, dropped the opener of the four-game series to Whitman Thursday night.
After losing Friday's first game, the Missionaries exploded for 17 hits in winning game two. But the Red Hawks, looking for a sweep, jumped to an early 8-2 lead in the nightcap. Whitman struck back with a vengeance, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning. Nine of those runs scored with two outs.
Freshman John Nelson, who triggered the big inning with a lead-off single, later scored on sophomore Adam Knappe's single. After J.D. Fischer walked and Simpson recorded a second out, Whitman's merry-go-round began. Knappe scored on a wild pitch and freshmen Mike Minckler and Derek Clovis received free passes, setting the table for sophomore Luke Marshall's two-run single. After Dan White drew another walk, Nelson was hit by a pitch to force home a run.
Sophomore Chad Frisk kept the inning alive with a two-run single. After Knappe was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Fischer clubbed a three-run double to center field. Fischer was thrown out attempting to stretch his hit into a triple.
Marshall, who finished with three hits, was hit by pitches in his other two plate appearances. Clovis also had three hits while drawing two walks and scoring four runs. Knappe, Minckler, Fischer and Frisk had two hits each. Frisk collected four RBI.
Brad Hurn paced the Simpson offense with two hits and three RBI.
Freshman Nick Christman, the second of three Whitman pitchers, got the win. He pitched three and one-third innings, giving up two runs on four hits. Freshman Calvin Davis got the final six outs to nail down the Missionary victory.
Simpson led from start to finish in game one, scoring two runs in the first inning and one more in the fifth to lead 3-1. The Red Hawks tacked on three runs in the sixth to gain some breathing room.
Marcus James went the distance on the mound for Simpson, surrendering just four hits but walking four and hitting two other batters. Simpson also committed four errors, but compensated by turning three doubleplays and picking off two Whitman runners in the seventh inning.
Whitman scored its lone run in the bottom of the first. After Frisk and Fischer drew one-out-walks, Frisk scored on an error.
James helped his own cause with two hits. His battery mate, catcher Mike Berry, had three hits.
After winning two games last weekend, the Whitman men's baseball team was brought back to earth by Eastern Oregon Tuesday afternoon in La Grande. The Mountaineers knocked off the Missionaries 16-5, dropping Whitman to 2-26 on the season. The non-conference victory lifts Eastern Oregon's record to 9-17.
Eastern Oregon, an NAIA school,jumped on the Missionaries early, plating three runs in the first inning, five runs in the second inning, and four in the third. After allowing two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, Whitman tried to claw back into the game with a five-run fifth.
After freshmen John Nelson was hit by a pitch and sophomore Adam Knappe reached on an error, senior J.D. Fischer doubled home Whitman's first two runs. Sophomore Kramer Phillips followed with an RBI single, and after freshman Mike Minckler walked, freshman Dan White ripped a two-run triple to right-center field.
Knappe paced the Whitman offense with two hits. Freshmen Derek Clovis and Matt Morris-Rosenfeld, along with sophomore Luke Marshall, also had hits for the Missionaries.
After Easter Oregon's torrid offensive start, Whitman got a pair of strong relief performances in the later innings. Freshman Nick Christman pitched the fifth and sixth innings, allowing just two unearned runs, and freshman Calvin Davis held the Mountaineers scoreless in their two final at-bats.
Brandon Ferguson, a senior left-hander, did it all for Eastern Oregon. He started on the mound, throwing three scoreless innings, and helped his own cause with four hits, including two doubles, and seven RBI. The Mountaineers collected 18 hits in all.
Whitman plays three Northwest Conference games against Willamette later this week at Borleske Stadium. Because of Easter Sunday, tThe teams play a doubleheader at noon Friday and a single game at noon Saturday.
Playing a baseball twinbill on a drizzly Friday afternoon at Borleske Stadium, Whitman bounced back from a 22-2 opening game loss to take the nightcap 6-4 and gain a Northwest Conference split with the visiting Willamette Bearcats. The young Missionaries are now 3-27 on the season and 1-16 in The NWC. Willamette is 15-17 overall and 10-13 against conference opponents.
In the early game, both teams plated a run on RBI-singles in the first inning. For Willamette, it was Kelly Gilmore scoring on Matt Johnson’s base hit, and for Whitman, it was J.D. Fischer coming home on Mike Minckler’s base knock.
The Bearcats, who scored at least one run in each of the first six innings, took the lead for good in the second, scoring a pair of two-out runs. They extended their lead to 7-1 with a lone run in the third frame and three more two-out runs in the fourth, as Johnson rapped a two-RBI double. He scored the inning’s third run on Kyle Stalker’s single.
The Missionaries enjoyed a defensive highlight in the top of fifth, when freshman center fielder John Nelson made a full-extension diving catch in the left-center gap to end the inning. Whitman's offensive highlight of the game came in the bottom of the frame when Fischer hit a blistering line-shot solo home run to left field, cutting the Missionary deficit to 8-2. Fischer finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
Minckler and Chad Frisk also had two hits for the Missionaries. Adam Knappe, Luke Marshall and Dan White each contributed a base hit to Whitman’s offense.
Stalker led the offensive attack in the first game for the Bearcats, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBI. Four of his RBI came on a ninth-inning grand slam to right field. Lee Eklund was 3-for-4 with a pair of walks, four runs scored, and an RBI, and Matt Johnson went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Willamette starting pitcher Steve Johnson earned the win, going seven innings and allowing two runs only one of them earned.
It appeared the Bearcats would get on the board early in the second game as well, but Missionary starting pitcher Pete Stadmeyer was able to work out of jams in the first two frames to keep the game scoreless. Willamette starter Clint Moran worked out of a jam himself in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Stadmeyer posted another goose egg in the fifth.
After Mike Rathwell walked to lead-off the bottom of the fifth, Willamette pulled their starting pitcher. An error on Knappe’s sacrifice bunt gave the Missionaries two on and none out, and J.D. Fischer’s hit-and-run single through the right side plated Rathwell and advanced Knappe to third. Fischer scooted into second base when Willamette’s throw from the outfield missed the cut-off man. After a wild pitch scored Knappe and advanced Fischer to third, White knocked in Fischer with an RBI-groundout to push the Missionary lead to 3-0.
Stadmeyer lasted until the seventh, when he was pulled after walking Adam Holden for the third time. A double scored Holden, and then a walk would put two runners on for the red-hot Stalker. His second home-run of the doubleheader put the Bearcats on top 4-3. Reliever Calvin Davis then entered the contest to keep the Missionaries from falling behind any further.
Down to its second-to-last at-bat, the Missionaries responded with a three-run eighth. After Marshall walked and Frisk singled, Rathwell’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. Knappe singled home Marshall, advancing to second on the throw home. Fischer was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting the stage for a two-run Kramer Phillips single.
Davis shut down Willamette in the ninth, allowing no hits and no walks in two-plus innings to pick up his first collegiate win. Stadmeyer gave up just four hits and just one earned run in his start.
Phillips and Frisk had two hits apiece for Whitman, while Fischer, Knappe and Rathwell each had one.
The two teams are set to play a third game at noon Saturday at Borleske.
The Whitman baseball team dropped a 17-5 decision in the rubber match of its three-game set with Willamette on a damp afternoon at Borleske Stadium Saturday. The Missionaries fell to 1-17 in Northwest Conference play and 3-28 on the season. The Bearcats are to 11-13 in the NWC and 16-17 overall.
Willamette jumped to a big early lead behind the hot bat of Matt Johnson, who got base hits in each of his first four trips to the plate. His double in a five-run third inning pushed Willamette’s lead to 9-0.
Whitman got a pair back in the bottom of the third with back-to-back-to-back singles by John Nelson, Chad Frisk and Adam Knappe. After Nelson scored on Knappe’s single, Frisk later crossed the plate on an errant throw.
In the top of the fourth, following an error that plated a run and left runners on second and third, Johnson drove in his fifth and sixth runs of the game with another double. He then scored two batters later on a Sean Anderson double. Johnson and Lee Eklund added sacrifice flys in the fifth to balloon the Bearcat lead to 15-2.
J.D. Fischer hit a towering double in the bottom half of the sixth frame that eventually turned into the third Missionary run when pinch-runner Matt Morris-Rosenfeld scored on a Derek Clovis groundout. In the seventh, Luke Marshall lined a single up the middle, and following a Mike Rathwell walk, scored from second base on a wild pitch. Frisk’s third single of the afternoon scored Rathwell.
Willamette added two more runs in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded single by Jordan Roberts.
In addition to Frisk's three hits, Nelson had a pair of singles.
Johnson finished his afternoon with four hits, seven RBI, and two runs scored. Anderson and Ellis Webster added three hits apiece for the Bearcats.
After hosting Eastern Oregon on Wednesday, Whitman travels next weekend to Portland to play a three-game NWC set at Lewis & Clark.
Willamette welcomes Cal State-East Bay for three games in Salem starting Friday.
In its baseball program’s final game ever at Borleske Stadium, Eastern Oregon University went out with a bang Wednesday night, defeating Whitman 13-0. Eastern Oregon, which is discontinuing its baseball program next year, is now 11-20 on the season. Whitman’s record stands at 3-29.
Ryan Bigelow and Jayson Kisselburg each had three hits for the Mountaineers, who broke the game open with a six-run second inning and finished the night with a total of 19 hits.
Matt Morris-Rosenfeld, a freshman, rapped a double to account for Whitman’s only extra-base hit of the game. J.D. Fischer, Luke Marshall, Kramer Phillips and Mike Rathwell all contributed singles.
Whitman used eight pitchers in the game, with only senior Adam Maldonado going more than one inning. The game served as a tune-up for the Missionary pitching staff as it heads into a three-game Northwest Conference series this weekend against Lewis & Clark in Portland.
That series starts at noon Saturday with a doubleheader. The lone game Sunday is also starts at noon.
The Whitman baseball team started its final road trip of the season by dropping both ends of a Northwest Conference twinbill to Lewis & Clark Saturday afternoon in Portland, Ore. The Missionaries fell 18-5 in the opener and 12-0 in the nightcap.
The Whitman offense got off to a fast start in game one, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, J.D. Fischer singled and Kramer Phillips ripped his team-leading third home run of the season. Derrick Clovis then doubled, advanced to third on Mike Minckler's sacrifice fly, and scored on Dan White's RBI-single through the left side.
The Pioneers struck back quickly, reclaiming the lead with four runs in their half of the first. They never again trailed, plating three runs in both the third and fourth innings to roll up a big lead.
After entering the game in the fifth inning for the Missionaries, Mike Rathwell went 2-for-2 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI. Fischer and Clovis also finished with a pair of hits.
In the game two, Pioneer starter Jordon Smiley held Whitman to a lone hit in its first four trips to the plate. Meanwhile, Lewis & Clark jumped ahead by a comfortable 7-0 margin largely on the strength of a four-run fourth inning.
Smiley pitched a complete game for the victory, striking out eight while allowing only four Whitman hits. Two of those hits came courtesy of Minckler, who doubled in the second inning and added a sixth-inning single. The Missionaries other hits in the game belonged to Rathwell, who started the second game of the double-header and finished the day 3-for-6 at the dish, and Luke Marshall, who singled in the sixth inning.
AJ Brown led the offensive assault for Lewis and Clark in the second game, going 3-for-6 with 5 RBI.
The series concludes tomorrow with a noon contest at the Huston Sports Complex, and then the Missionaries will head home to host the University of Puget Sound in their final three-game set of the season on Saturday, April 30th and Sunday the 31st.
Whitman dropped the finale of its three-game baseball series with Lewis & Clark Sunday afternoon, falling 15-5 in Portland, Ore. The young Missionaries slipped to 3-32 on season and 1-20 in Northwest Conference games. Lewis & Clark's record now stands at 15-24 and 10-14.
Lewis & Clark put a crooked number on the scoreboard in each of the first three innings to take early command with a 7-0 lead.
The Missionaries battled back in their half of the fourth, which Mike Rathwell lead off with a double. After J.D. Fischer walked and Kramer Phillips grounded out to the right side, Whitman had two men in scoring position with one out. Derek Clovis plated Rathwell with a ground-out to short, and Mike Minckler stroked a single that pushed Fischer across the plate, closing the gap to 7-2.
The Missionaries continued to chip away in the fifth frame. Dan White hit a lead-off double and scored on Adam Knappe's ground-out to cut the Pioneer lead to 7-3. But the Lewis & Clark offense roared back to life with four times in its half of the fifth to put the game away.
Five Missionaries had two hits in the game. White and Nelson each went 2-for-3, and Minckler, Kramer Phillips and Rathwell all went 2-for-4. Rathwell finished the weekend 5-for-10 at the dish. Matt Morris-Rosenfeld also made a big offensive contribution for Whitman, stroking a two-run pinch-hit single in the ninth.
Eric Muraoka went five innings to earn the win for the Pioneers, and on Lewis & Clark's "Senior Day" senior Dave Berry went 3-for-4 with four RBI.
The Missionaries wrap-up their season at home next weekend, facing Puget Sound in a three-game set. The teams play a doubleheader at noon on Saturday and finish the season with a single game at noon Sunday.
Puget Sound 13, Whitman 0
Puget Sound 14, Whitman 2
Walla Walla, Wash.
Playing its last doubleheader of the season, the Whitman baseball team dropped a pair of Northwest Conference games to Puget Sound Saturday afternoon at Borleske Stadium. The Missionaries fell 13-0 in the opener and lost 14-2 in the second.
Puget Sound elevated its records to 13-10 in the NWC and 17-20 on the season. The young Missionaries head to Sunday's season finale with records of 1-22 in conference and 3-34 overall.
In game one, Whitman couldn’t get the bats going behind a good start from pitcher Pat Johnston, who pitched into the sixth inning before giving way to reliever Sam Thompson.
After the Loggers extended their lead to 13-0 with six runs in their final two at-bats, Whitman threatened to put some runs on the board in the bottom of the ninth inning. A single by freshman Derek Clovis and two hit batters loaded the bases with Missionaries, but Puget Sound starter Taylor Thompson preserved his four-hit shutout by getting the final out on a pop fly.
Thompson struck out 11 Whitman batters and got plenty of offensive support from his teammates. Shaun Kiriu, Shaun Messerli and Tanner Webber led the Loggers with three RBI each. Kiriu, Messerli and A.J. Jorg hit home runs for the Loggers.
Clovis drew a pair of walks to go with his ninth-inning hit. Adam Knappe, Dan White and John Nelson had Whitman's only other hits.
In the nightcap, Puget Sound seized control with a five-run first inning. After a Sean Bayha solo home run in the third inning, the Loggers plated two more runs in runs in the fourth to lead 8-0.
Whitman picked up its first run in the bottom of the fourth. J.D. Fischer led off with single, took second base on a Puget Sound error, and scored on a Clovis single. Luke Marshall was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a strike-out ended the threat.
The Missionaries added their second run in the seventh, when John Nelson reached on a fielder's choice after White opened the inning with a single. Nelson moved up a base when Knappe was hit by a pitch and then scored on Fischer's single to center field.
Bayha sparked Puget Sound’s game-two assault, collecting four hits in six trips to the plate. Ryan Gustafson got the win for the Loggers, tossing seven innings of six-hit ball.
For Whitman, Fischer finished the game with three hits, including a double.
The season ends for both teams with Sunday's single game at Borleske. The game starts at noon.
Puget Sound 8, Whitman 3
Senior Day for the Whitman baseball team ended on a sour note with an 8-3 loss to Puget Sound Sunday afternoon at Borleske Stadium. Following pre-game ceremonies honoring Whitman's only active roster seniors, starting pitcher Adam Maldonado and first baseman J.D. Fischer, Puget Sound wasted little time in jumping on top, scoring six runs in the third inning to lead 7-0.
Drew Pearsall, the only other Missionary senior on this year’s team, missed most of the season due to injury. He received a medical redshirt allowance and will return to play next spring.
After the Loggers pushed across their first run in the top of the second inning, Whitman put two runners on board with only one out in its half of the frame. But Puget Sound starter Evan Scandling quelled the threat by retiring the next two Whitman batters on a flyball and a groundout.
The visitors then broke the game open with its six-run third inning. Shaun Messerli belted a two-run dinger to trigger the outburst, which continued with six consecutive singles. Messerli added a solo shot in the sixth inning.
The Missionaries scored all three of their runs in the seventh inning. Fischer led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Mike Minckler and Luke Marshall stroked back-to-back singles and scored on Dan White’s double to the gap in left-center field.
Maldonado survived Puget Sound's big third inning and pitched into the seventh, leaving the game to a standing ovation from the home crowd and his teammates after fanning the first batter he faced in the inning. Freshman reliever Calvin Davis allowed just one hit over the final two-plus innings.
Trailing 8-3 headed into the bottom of the ninth, Whitman didn't go down without a fight. Singles by Mike Rathwell and Adam Knappe gave the Missionaries a pair of runners with two outs, but Puget Sound reliever Brian Eggers got the final out to shut the door on the Loggers victory.
The Missionaries finished the season with a 3-35 record, which included a 1-23 mark in Northwest Conference play. Puget Sound wrapped up its spring campaign with records of 18-20 and 14-10.