Cavs Split in Opening Day of Porter Park Classic

2/28/2014 8:12:00 PM

PORTLAND, Ore.—Carrying a shutout into the ninth against Montana State University-Billings, Concordia defeated the Yellowjackets 3-1 in the middle game of the Porter Park Classic before falling 7-1 to the University of British Columbia in the nightcap.

Game 1: Lewis-Clark State 3, MSU Billings 3
Lewis-Clark State's (8-1) Cody Lavalli hit a 2-run homer to left in the bottom of the sixth to lead the Warriors to a 3-1 win over MSU Billings (1-8) in the opening game of action at the Porter Park Classic.

Lavilli's smash was just the second homer of the season at spacious Porter Park, which lists 397-feet to the left-center fence.

LCSC starter Michael Noteware allowed just one run on two hits over the first five innings, but did not receive any support as the Warriors were held in check until the following frame. David Murillo picked up the win with three innings of work which featured three strikeouts against two hits. Cody Chartand was credited with the save with a three strikeout ninth wrapped around a hit and two walks.

Game 2: Concordia 3, MSU Billings 1

Concordia (8-2) struck for three runs in the third inning to defeat Montana State Billings 3-1 in the second game of action at the Porter Park Classic on Friday afternoon.

With the win, Concordia improved to 8-2 on the season while MSU-Billings fell to 1-9 on the season with its second straight loss by 3-1 margins.

CU's Jason Snodgrass (Ramona, Calif./Ramona H.S.) moved to 3 -0 on the season with 6.0 innings of shutout work where he scattered six hits. Blake Evetts (Tigard, Ore./Jesuit H.S.) picked up the save for the Cavs, his third of the year, by entering the ninth with the bases loaded and retiring the final two batters.

After watching their first two batters go down in the third, CU's Blake Drake (Ramona, Calif./Ramona H.S.) belted a double to left center to spark the Cavalier offense. Ian Erickson (Astoria, Ore./Astoria H.S.) followed with a slash to right-center which scored Blake and quickly moved to second on a stolen base. After a walk, Christian Lichtenthaler (Albany, Ore./West Albany H.S.) and Evetts connected on back-to-back singles to drive in the final two runs of the stanza.

The Yellowjackets placed runners in scoring position in four of the first eight innings before breaking the shutout in the ninth. Faced with two outs, Brad Birch drove in Casey Merrit with a drive back to the pitcher. With runners on second and third, Evetts provoked a fly to right to close out the contest.

Game 3: British Columbia 7, Concordia 1

British Columbia scored single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings to go on to upend Concordia 7-1 in the third game of action in the Porter Park Classic on Friday.

The Thunderbirds took advantage of several close calls in the ball game, including a line-drive single to center which was nearly scooped by outfielder Blake Drake (Ramona, Calif./Ramona H.S.) in the first which resulted in an RBI for UBC/s Bruce Yari.

Still up just 1-0 and a runner on third in the fourth inning, UBC doubled its lead with a charged pass ball to catcher Ben Talbot (Lacey, Wash./Timberline H.S.) with the Cavalier bench arguing an apparent foul ball on the play. UBC added a run in the fifth with a successful sacrifice bunt by Kevin Biro and one more in the seventh as a sacrifice fly by Tyson Popoff allowed Brody Hawkins to tag up from third and get to the dish on another disputed play at home after a strong throw by CU rightfielder Mike Egami (Moanalua, Hawaii/Moanalua H.S.).

A leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh by Blake Evetts (Tigard, Ore./Jesuit H.S.) generated a run for CU as the first four batters reached safely, the last of which occurred on a Talbot bloop single over the UBC third baseman. Still without an out and the go-ahead run at the plate, UBC starter Sean Callegari squirmed out of the jam with a fly to shallow right, a grounder to third and a fly to center.

Entering the game in the eight with a 4-1 lead, UBC's Bryan Pawlina earned his first save of the year with two innings of no-hit hurling. Callagari, meanwhile, picked up his first win over the year with six hits and one walk against two strikeouts.

CU starter Harrison McGhee (Ramona, Calif./Ramona H.S.) allowed four runs, two of which were earned, in seven innings. McGhee struck out five Thunderbird batters.