SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Portland Pilots (25-17, 12-8 WCC) won their fourth WCC series of the season after earning a 9-3 victory over the Santa Clara Broncos (23-21, 11-12). The win gives Portland 25 wins on the year, which is tied for the most in a season since Geoff Loomis took over as head coach. It's also their fifth WCC win.
Three different pitchers saw the mound for Portland, with Joey Gartrell officially taking the win. The freshman just finished the sixth inning off for Brock Gillis, who started the day and allowed three runs and three hits in 5.1 innings. Caleb Franzen closed things out for Portland, going three innings with two strikeouts and only one hit allowed to earn the save.
Evan Scavotto was an impressive 5-for-5 on the day with two doubles and three RBI's. His five hits are a career-high and also match the highest hit total in a game by any Pilot this season. He is one of just 11 Pilots to hit that total in program history. Tony Boetto was also 4-for-5 with three RBI's against his former team.
Santa Clara got on the board first, doing so in the opening inning. With the bases loaded due to a bevy of walks, Matt Jew hit into a double play, giving Cole Brigman just enough time to get home and add a run. The Broncos helld a one-run lead.
Portland responded the following inning, scoring a run off a walk with the bases loaded, but Santa Clara took the lead right back. Michael Diaz hit his first home run of the season and his career in the second inning, a solo shot that gave Santa Clara back their one-run lead.
The Pilots scored two runs in the third to get a lead of their own. Scavotto hit a single to center field that gave Trace Tammaro time to make it home, then Boetto hit another single up the middle that brought in two runs and make it 3-2 Portland. The lead lasted only for a short while, however, as Jew hit a solo homer to tie things up at three.
Portland took back the lead with a big seventh inning. They scored three runs off the bats of Scavotto and Boetto once again. Scavotto brought in the first run with a double to right center and Boetto scored the next two with a single. The Pilots held a three-run lead with just under three innings to play.
Three more runs came in the top of the eighth to seal the deal. The first run came off a balk. Then the second run came once again courtesy of Scavotto, an RBI double for his fifth hit of the day. Jake Tsukada hit an RBI single right up the middle to make it 9-3 Portland, which would prove to be the final.
The Pilots and Broncos will play their series finale tomorrow at noon. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video.
