Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland sophomore right-hander Zach Varce went the distance and struck out eight Dons as the Pilots blanked San Francisco 1-0 in the final game of the season at Joe Etzel Field. The Pilots avoid the three-game series sweep with the win and end San Francisco’s chances at playing for the West Coast Conference championship.
Varce (3-5) picks up his first complete-game shutout of his career, helping the Pilots finish the season at 25-26 overall and 7-14 in the WCC. The 25 wins are the most in one season during head coach Chris Sperry’s 12-year tenure.
Varce was in control the entire game, while scattering seven hits. He walked just two and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning when he struck out Bobby Ethel looking.
San Francisco (28-28, 12-9 WCC) starter Matt Hiserman (4-6) matched Varce pitch for pitch and also lasted the entire game. He struck out seven, walked two and surrendered six hits.
Portland scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sophomore Riley Henricks led off the frame with a base hit to left field before advancing to second base on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore OF Tyler Thompson. Sophomore 3B Kevin Armijo then got hit by a pitch, setting up a first and second situation with one out and junior C Rocky Gale at the plate.
Gale came through with a hard-hit single to center field off of the first pitch he saw. Henricks raced around to score, giving the Pilots the 1-0 advantage. Armijo was thrown out trying to advance to third base, but the damage had been done.
Coach Sperry has won 24 games twice before, going 24-27 in 2000 and 24-30 in 2002.
Sunday’s season finale marked the final appearance in a Pilots uniform for Portland’s eight departing seniors. Jeff Arbayo, Cort Carpenter, Charlie Herche, Bryant Kraus, Matthew Lange, Chase Powell, Mark Triolo and Brennan Thorpe were honored with a pre-game ceremony.
