Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Senior Kris Kauppila had a big two-run single and Portland got stellar performances on the mound as the Pilots registered a 4-1 win over the No. 16 San Diego Toreros on Sunday afternoon to claim the three-game West Coast Conference series at Joe Etzel Field. San Diego won Saturday’s game after Portland defeated the Toreros on Friday.
The Pilots improve to 23-16 overall and 10-8 in the WCC, while the Toreros drop to 33-11 and 10-5.
Portland starting pitcher Chris Johnson (3-2) had perhaps his most effective outing of the year on Sunday, holding the Toreros to just one run on six hits in 6.2 innings. The junior right-hander struck out four and didn’t issue a walk.
Relievers Brandon Snyder and Owen Jones took over where Johnson left off, combining to hold San Diego scoreless during the final two-and-a-third innings. Snyder got out of a runners on the corners situation in the eighth, and Jones notched his 14th save of the year, which matches a UP program single season record.
Jones did walk a pair in the ninth before getting Louie Lechich to pop out to Portland shortstop Michael Lucarelli to end the game. Jones matches the saves record, which was set by Chris Dennis in 2010.
Kauppila ‘s clutch hit came in the bottom of the third inning with the score tied 0-0. With two outs, Turner Gill and Caleb Whalen hit consecutive singles before advancing to second and third, respectively, on a wild pitch. And then after fouling off a couple of pitches with a 2-2 count, Kauppila roped a single to right field that scored both Gill and Whalen and made it a 2-0 Portland lead.
The Toreros did get a run back in the fourth when Andrew Daniel doubled home A.J. Robinson.
But that’s all the scoring San Diego would get, while the Pilots were able to add two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Chet Thompson walloped a triple into the left-field corner. He’d then easily trot home when the USD right fielder dropped a routine fly ball that would have ended the inning.
Lucarelli followed with a single to advance Brian Frattali to second base before Bo Cornish hit an RBI single to center to make it a 4-1 game.
San Diego starter Calvin Drummond (7-4) takes the loss after allowing all four runs in 4.2 innings of work. He struck out four, walked one and gave up 11 hits. James Pazos threw the finale 3.1 innings for the Toreros.
Portland out-hit San Diego during all three games, including a 12-6 advantage on Sunday. Thompson, Frattali and Nick Armenta each tallied two hits for the Pilots.
Portland next takes a break for finals week before returning to the field against the Washington State Cougars on Tuesday, May 8. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Pasco, Wash.
