Pirates Lose 8-1 Lead in 10-9 Loss
TACOMA, Wash. - Whitworth University could not hold an early 8-1 lead, allowing host Puget Sound to used five unearned runs to rally for a 10-9 win in the opener of a Northwest Conference baseball series on Saturday afternoon. Whitworth's top four batters in the lineup connected for 12 of the team's 16 hits against the Loggers, but it was not enough to prevent UPS from coming back. Michael Takemura and Kevin Valerio opened with back to back doubles, before Landon Scott followed with an RBI single and Kyle Krustangel nailed another double to give the Bucs a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. JR Jarrell added an RBI double in Whitworth's three-run third inning. Then Scott and Krustangel picked up another RBI each in the fourth to give the Pirates an 8-1 lead. Puget Sound began its rally in the bottom of the fourth when two Whitworth errors led to three unearned runs. The Loggers took their first lead in the seventh when two more errors led to two more unearned runs. After Whitworth tied the game 9-9 in the top of the eighth inning, Chaz Kramer hit the game-winning homer in the bottom of the inning. Scott finished 4-5 at the plate for the Pirates, while Krustangel had three hits and three RBIs. Takemura also had three hits and scored twice. Whitworth (3-11, 0-1 NWC will finish the series at Puget Sound (7-6, 3-1) with a doubleheader on Sunday, beginning at noon. |
