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Baseball | Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Baseball News Release

THIS WEEK: Bearcats (9-7, 5-1 NWC) take four-game win streak into four-game homestand

Although Willamette is on spring break, the Bearcats couldn’t have scheduled a much more perfect time for a four-game homestand. Not only has WU spent the past two weekends on the road far from home, but its head coach is now on the verge of a milestone. Head coach David Wong, in his 13th season, is just two wins shy of becoming the all-time winningest head baseball coach at Willamette (see below).

-----Friday, March 28 Oregon Tech, 2:30

-----Saturday, March 29 Whitworth* (2), noon

-----Sunday, March 30 Whitworth*, noon

* Northwest Conference opponent

LAST WEEK: Bearcats sweep Whitman to gain tie for first place in NWC

-----Tuesday, March 18: at Willamette 9, Western Baptist 8 (13)
3B Andy Bartels (Jr., Phoenix HS) hit a single deep into the left-center field gap, scoring LF Ken Halpin (So., North Medford HS) from second base to led Willamette to a non-conference victory over Western Baptist (9-4) in 13 innings. Halpin opened the bottom of the 13th with a sharp single up the middle. After CF Drew Ecklund (Sr., San Luis Obispo HS, Calif.) lined out to center field, SS Colin Griffin (Jr., Jesuit HS) advanced Halpin to second base by grounding out, setting the stage for Bartels. The result made a winner out of Willamette RHP Chris Murrell (So, Serra HS, San Diego, Calif.), who allowed just one hit in the top of the 13th inning. He came in for RHP Brian Gilmore (So., McNary HS), who hurled no-hit ball from the ninth through 12th innings. Western posted five runs in the third inning to take a commanding 7-1 lead before the Bearcats clawed their way back. WU scored two runs in the third and fifth innings to close to within 7-5, and the score was 8-7 heading into the ninth inning. After Gilmore set down the Warriors in order, WU came up with the game-tying run. Griffin hit a bloop double down the left field line and Bartels followed with his fourth walk of the day. RF Matt Drahn (Jr., Taft HS) flied out to right, advancing Griffin to third. DH Mike Allen (Fr., Ashland HS) then hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field, plating Griffin. Willamette was led on offense by Griffin, who went 4 for 7 on the day with three runs scored. Ecklund went 3 for 7 and scored twice

-----Saturday, March 22: Willamette 10-5, at Whitman 6-4
In the first game, RHP/DH Mike Allen (Fr., Ashland HS) did a little bit of everything for WU. He hit a single and home run in five at-bats and finished the game with five RBI. Allen also started the game on the mound, allowing three earns runs over six innings before giving way to LHP Jeff Ross (Fr., Sprague HS). Ross (1-0) yielded just three hits over the final three innings to earn his first collegiate victory. Willamette also got a pair of hits from C Travis Shull (Jr., Westview HS), while leadoff hitter CF Drew Ecklund (Sr., San Luis Obispo HS, Calif.) scored twice. The Bearcats trailed 6-2 heading into the eighth inning. WU tallied five runs in the frame and received insurance in the top of the ninth with a three-run homer by Allen. The nightcap was a pitching battle between a couple of Jensens — Willamette RHP Jeff Jensen (So., North Salem HS) and Whitman’s Jake Jensen. Both pitchers went the entire nine innings. Jeff Jensen (1-1) allowed seven hits and four walks but struck out 12. Jake Jensen gave up 12 hits and four walks. WU SS Colin Griffin (Jr., Jesuit HS), 3B Andy Bartels (Jr., Phoenix HS), 2B Dane Woldseth (So., Issaquah HS, Wash.) and Shull each had a pair of hits for Willamette. With two out in the top of the ninth inning, Shull singled, knocking in Bartels for the eventual game-winning run.

-----Sunday, March 23: Willamette 15, at Whitman 5
RHP Zach Vande Griend (So., Salem Academy HS) had a no-hitter going for six innings and ended up giving up just one run to lead Willamette to a 15-5 NWC victory at Whitman. Vande Griend (2-4) struck out 10 Whitman batters over eight innings. He allowed just three hits and one walk. He got plenty of offensive support from his teammates. CF Drew Ecklund (Sr., San Luis Obispo HS, Calif.), 3B Andy Bartels (Jr., Phoenix HS) and C Travis Shull (Jr., Westview HS) each had four hits for Willamette. Shull had five RBI.

NWC HONORS VANDE GRIEND:
Zach Vande Griend (So., Salem Academy HS) and Pacific's Derek Akimoto shared the Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Week honor on Monday. Vande Griend pitched five innings of relief in an extra-inning victory over Western Baptist, then earned the win on Monday with eight strong innings that led to a 15-5 win at Whitman. Altogether, Vande Griend (2-4) pitched 13 innings, allowed two earned runs, eight hits and one walk while striking out 14. His ERA for the week was 1.38.

NOTES: Brian Gilmore (So., McNary HS) hasn’t pitched enough innings to qualify to be ranked amongst the NWC leaders, but he has been nearly perfect in two outings this season. He threw four innings of hitless relief Tuesday against Western Baptist, then allowed one hit in the bottom of the ninth Sunday at Whitman to pick up the first save of his career. He had a 10.12 ERA in 2 2/3 innings last year as a red-shirt freshman. This year, he has an ERA of 0.00 in 5 innings.

STATISTICS:
As of March 18, Willamette was ranked fourth in the Northwest Conference in team pitching (5.23), sixth in team batting (.268) and ninth in team fielding (.924). Individually, LF/DH Mike Allen (Fr., Ashland HS) was eighth in NWC batting at .400. RHP Jeff Jensen (So., North Salem HS) was fifth in NWC ERA at 1.99.

BEARCAT STATISTICAL LEADERS (through March 24)
AVE: .371, Mike Allen
HITS: 25, Drew Ecklund
HOME RUNS: 3, Mike Allen
RBI: 20, Mike Allen
STOLEN BASES: 6, Drew Ecklund, Ken Halpin
WINS: 2, Mike Allen, Zach Vande Griend
SAVES: 2, Jeff Ross
ERA: 2.94, Jeff Jensen
INN. PITCHED: 42.0, Zach Vande Griend
STRIKEOUTS: 35, Jeff Jensen

2003 WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY BASEBALL ROSTER

NO PLAYER POS B/T HT WT YR/EL HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE)
2 Dane Woldseth INF R/R 5-10 165 So./So. Bellevue, Wash. (Issaquah)
3 Zach Vande Griend P/INF R/R 5-9 170 So./So. Salem, Ore. (Salem Academy, Dordt)
4 Jeff Jensen P RHP 5-10 185 So./So. Salem, Ore. (North Salem)
6 Brian Gilmore INF/P S/R 6-0 185 Jr./So. Salem, Ore. (McNary)
7 Drew Ecklund OF R/R 6-0 180 Sr./Sr. San Luis Obispo, Calif. (San Luis Obispo,
Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo)
8 Matt Johnson INF R/R 5-11 185 Fr./Fr. Port Angeles, Wash. (Port Angeles)
9 Adam Holden OF L/L 6-0 185 Fr./Fr. Milton-Freewater, Ore. (McLoughlin)
10 B.J. Dobrkovsky INF R/R 6-3 190 Sr./Sr. Lebanon, Ore. (Lebanon)
11 Tyler Hunnex P RHP 5-9 190 Sr./Sr. Seattle, Wash. (The Bush School)
12 Colin Griffin INF S/R 6-0 187 Jr./Jr. Hillsboro, Ore. (Jesuit, Clackamas CC)
13 Anton Chiono P RHP 6-0 160 Fr./Fr. Summer Lake, Ore. (Paisley)
14 Travis Shull C R/R 6-1 190 Sr./Jr. Portland, Ore. (Westview, Lower Columbia CC)
15 Pat Everitt P LHP 6-0 165 Jr./So. Salem, Ore. (North Salem)
16 Steve Marchisio C R/R 6-0 205 Fr./Fr. Santa Cruz, Calif. (Santa Cruz)
17 Jeff Ross P/INF L/L 6-1 165 So./Fr. Salem, Ore. (Sprague)
18 Ken Halpin C R/R 6-1 200 Jr./So. Medford, Ore. (North Medford, Univ. of San Diego)
19 Mike Allen P/OF R/R 6-5 205 Fr./Fr. Ashland, Ore. (Ashland)
20 Matt Drahn OF R/R 6-0 205 Jr./Jr. Lincoln City, Ore. (Taft)
22 Nic Nottingham OF R/R 6-1 210 Fr./Fr. Hailey, Idaho (Wood River)
23 Chris Murrell P RHP 6-1 195 So./So. San Diego, Calif. (Serra)
24 John Cox INF L/L 6-2 220 So./So. Spokane, Wash. (University)
26 Andy Bartels INF/P R/R 6-3 205 Jr./Jr. Medford, Ore. (Phoenix)
27 Jason Chatterton C R/R 5-10 225 Gr./Sr. Portland, Ore. (Clackamas)
28 Greg Goodenough C/OF R/R 6-1 190 Fr./Fr. Baker City, Ore. (Baker)

HEAD COACH: [25] David Wong (13th year)
ASSISTANT COACHES: [1] Tom Bush (13th year); [21] John Horner (7th year)
SCOREKEEPER: Pam Bush (11th year)

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE STANDINGS (through March 24)
W L PCT
Pacific (13-5) 5 1 .833
WILLAMETTE (9-7) 5 1 .833
George Fox (13-6) 6 3 .667
Whitworth (7-8-1) 5 3 .625
Linfield (9-8) 5 4 .556
Pacific Lutheran (4-11) 3 3 .500
Lewis & Clark (6-12) 4 5 .444
Puget Sound (7-12) 1 7 .125
Whitman (3-14) 1 8 .111

THE DAVID WONG YEARS AT WILLAMETTE
Head coach David Wong is just two wins shy of becoming the all-time winningest baseball coach at Willamette (see note below).
OVERALL NWC PL.
1991 13-23-1 10-8 3rd
1992 22-20 11-7 3rd(t)
1993 24-13-1 11-6 2nd
1994 24-17 12-6 2nd(t)
1995 15-22-1 11-7 2nd
1996 22-17 13-8 3rd
1997 28-13 18-6 2nd(t)
1998 31-12 20-4 1st
1999 21-17 16-8 3rd
2000 24-17 15-9 3rd
2001 29-16 18-6 1st
2002 13-21 9-15 6th
2003 9-7 5-1
TOTAL 275-215-3 169-91

NOTE: The all-time school record for wins by a Willamette head coach is 276 by the late John Lewis. From 1948-72 (25 seasons), Lewis’ teams went 276-264 and won three Northwest Conference titles. Lewis also coached basketball at WU and served as athletic director. On Feb. 22, 2003, WU basketball coach Gordie James surpassed Lewis as Willamette’s all-time winningest basketball coach.

HOW TO CONTACT HEAD COACH DAVID WONG:
Office: (503) 370-6011
Email: dwong@willamette.edu

MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEB:
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: /www.willamette.edu/athletics/baseball
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE: http://www.nwcsports.com