Menlo News
 
Mon, Mar 1, 2010 - [Baseball]
NEWBERG, Ore. - Menlo College spent all weekend playing catch-up against No.18 George Fox and ultimately fell in all three games against its nationally-ranked foe.
 

The Oaks dropped the opener of Saturday's doubleheader 11-5, fell in the nightcap 15-5, and lost the series finale on Sunday 10-0. Menlo is now 5-6 overall and will try to regroup when it takes on another Northwest Conference program in Whitworth for a three-game set at home beginning this Saturday at 12 p.m.

 

George Fox 11, Menlo 5: The Bruins set the tone for the series immediately, scoring three times in the first frame and never trailing all weekend. They added four more runs in the third and another four in the fourth to take an insurmountable 11-run advantage before Menlo was able to make some noise offensively.

 

In the fifth, Ty Finley walked and moved to third base on a Michael Brandi double. Tyler Wilson smacked a two-out single up the middle to plate both runners and get the Oaks on the scoreboard.

 

Joel Hull doubled to lead off the sixth and scored quickly on a C.J. Dailey double. Dailey moved to third on a Shane Parsons fly out and advanced to home plate on a sacrifice fly from Chris Mazza.

 

The Oaks pushed their final run across in the ninth inning before the Bruins closed the game out. Pinch hitter Sam Dodge, Brandi, and Kyle Wilkerson each singled in the frame with Wilkerson driving in Dodge with one out.

 

George Fox 15, Menlo 5: It was a nightmare start to the second game of the series with the Bruins plating eight runs in the first inning to essentially put the game to bed right off the bat. George Fox collected six hits in the frame, though only four of their runs off of starting pitcher Derek Martinez were earned. The home team led 13-0 through three innings.

 

Menlo responded with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth inning.

 

Dailey reached on an infield error and Parsons singled to left field before Mazza stepped up and belted his third home run of the season to left field. In the fifth, Dodge walked and advanced on a Hull ground out. Dailey singled and Parsons hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Dodge. Mazza then singled Dailey home for the Oaks final run.

 

Mazza, Parsons, and Brandi each finished the game with two hits. Relief pitchers Ray Lozada, Taylor Cohn, Miles Lewis, Sean Sweeney, and Darren Takasaki combined to allow just four runs on six hits over the final 5 2/3 innings.

 

George Fox 10, Menlo 0: The Oaks got a solid performance from ace Brian Priestley, but shot itself in the foot with four errors and managed only four hits in a series-ending loss.

 

Priestley allowed one run in the second and another in the third inning, but Menlo trailed only 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. In that inning the Bruins pushed three unearned runs across the plate thanks to two Menlo errors and the game was blown open with George Fox staking itself to a 5-0 advantage and chasing Priestley. The Bruins added five runs in the next two frames for their final advantage.

 

Joel Hull led Menlo at the plate, going 2-for-4 while Mazza and Brad Binder each singled.