CU catcher Ben Talbot had the only hit in the game for the Cavs, as he led off the fifth with a double down the left-field line.
Boxers Hold Cavs' Bats at Bay, Top CU 3-1
BOX SCORE
PORTLAND—Less than a week after recording 16 hits in a 10-1 win over Pacific, the Boxers’ Jimmy Brakebush held the Concordia baseball team to just one hit Tuesday to lead the Boxers past the Cavs, 3-1, in a nonconference game at Porter Park.
Pacific (14-21) scored all three of its runs in the top of the fourth, as Nathan Suyematsu plated two runs on a one-out double down the left-field line, then came home himself on a throwing error after stealing third.
Concordia (21-24), meanwhile, came back with one run in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Boxers’ lead to 3-1. Cole Shidaki provided the majority of the work for the Cavs’ run, as he reached on a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jared Young then plated Shidaki on a ground out to second.
Shidaki’s run did not break the Cavs hitless streak in the game, however, as the Cavs did not record a hit until Ben Talbot led off the fifth with a double down the left-field line. Talbot’s double put the Cavs in a good position for a rally, but the Boxers quickly doubled up Cole Buruse and Julian Burgess, who pinch ran for Talbot, to clear the bases with two outs in the inning. The double play came on an appeal to second, too, as Burgess left early while trying to tag up on a fly out.
The Cavs had another chance to score in the seventh, as the team loaded the bases for leadoff hitter Blake Drake. However, Drake flew out to right for the final out in the inning, and the Cavs did not get another runner on base the rest of the game.
Overall, the Boxers outhit the Cavs 8-1 in the game. Talbot finished with the Cavs’ lone hit against the Boxers after subbing in for starting catcher Elliot North in the top of the fifth.
Meanwhile, the CU pitching staff shut out the Boxers outside of the fourth, which proved to be the Cavs’ only bad inning.
CU starter Harrison McGhee held the Boxers scoreless over the first three innings, while only giving up one hit and striking out seven.
Relievers Austin Hadley and Blake Evetts also held the Boxers scoreless in 2.2 and 1.1 innings of work, respectively.
Evetts’ appearance extended a scoreless streak for the right-hander, as he has now not given up a run in his last seven relief appearances. Evetts has been dominant for most of the season, though, as he has only given up three earned runs in his last 28.2 innings from the mound.
On the flip side, Brakebush went six full innings for the Boxers to earn the win, while Craig Nesselhuf shut out the Cavs in the ninth to earn the save.
The Cavs will hope to bounce back this weekend, as they return to action Friday, April 26 with a doubleheader against The College of Idaho. Friday’s doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. MST, and will open a four-game series between the Yotes and the Cavs.
The Cavs need to win one of the four games against the Yotes to clinch a spot in the NAIA West Tournament, which the Cavs will host at Porter Park from May 1-3. The Cavs can also clinch a playoff spot if Oregon Tech loses a game in their four-game road series against Simpson this weekend.