PORTLAND, Ore. – Lewis & Clark College baseball fell to #12/17 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 14-4 on Friday afternoon at Jerry Gatto Field. The game ended after seven innings due to the 10-run rule.
 
THE BASICS
 
#12/17 Pomona-Pitzer 14, Lewis & Clark 4 (7 inn.)
(Lewis & Clark 13-11)
(Pomona-Pitzer 18-7)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

Four Lewis & Clark players recorded multiple hits, and three drove in runs. Junior Michael Aikawa went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Sophomore Will Michelman and junior Dylan Lee each added two hits and one RBI. Junior Bret Potter finished 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Sophomore Sam Burchi took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings. Senior Nate Kerr allowed eight runs on 10 hits in two and two-thirds innings of relief. Junior Connor Broschard threw one and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.

The River Otters scored twice in the first inning. Junior Eli Steinhaus worked a leadoff walk on a full count, and Potter doubled to center field to put runners at second and third. Michelman followed with an RBI single through the right side to score Steinhaus, and Lee added an RBI single to left field to bring home Potter for a 2-0 lead.

Pomona-Pitzer responded in the third inning with six runs on five hits. Tanner DeGrazia hit a grand slam, and Will Parker added a solo home run. An additional RBI single later in the inning extended the lead to 6-2.

Lewis & Clark cut the deficit to two runs in the fourth inning. Senior Brandon Gonzaga walked and stole second before Aikawa hit a two-run home run to left field on the first pitch to make it 6-4.

Pomona-Pitzer answered in the fifth inning with five runs on four hits. Greg Pierantoni delivered a two-RBI single, and Jack Gold added a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 11-4.

The Sagehens added three more runs in the sixth inning. James Quintero hit a two-run home run to right-center field, and Gold added a sacrifice fly to extend the margin to 14-4.

Lewis & Clark put runners on base in two of the final three innings, but did not score again. Pomona-Pitzer reliever Eli Della Bitta closed the game with two scoreless innings.
 
Pomona-Pitzer's Max Brunngraber (6-0) earned the win after allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings with five strikeouts.

BY THE NUMBERS 

• Lewis & Clark recorded nine hits and drew four walks in the game.
• Aikawa hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season and is now tied for second in the Northwest Conference.  
• Steinhaus reached base twice and scored a run. He has reached base in 18 consecutive games.
• Gonzaga recorded his NWC-leading 16th stolen base this season.
• Potter extended his hitting streak to 12 games and recorded his 14th multi-hit game of the season.

WHO'S NEXT

Lewis & Clark will finish its series with Pomona-Pitzer in a Saturday doubleheader at Jerry Gatto Field. First pitch for Game 1 is set for Noon, and Game 2 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.