Katayama-Stall and Bruce Spark Four-Run Fifth as Pilots Snap Skid With 5-3 Win Over San Francisco

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Pilots came home from a rough road trip needing one big inning. They got it in the fifth. Gage Bruce and Cole Katayama-Stall each delivered two-run hits in a four-run fifth, Kaden Segel and Alex Via shut the door from there, and Portland beat San Francisco 5-3 on Friday, April 17, at Joe Etzel Field to open a three-game West Coast Conference series.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak and improved the Pilots to 21-14 overall, according to the team's postgame recap. Portland had dropped all three games of a series at Gonzaga and then lost 9-3 at Washington State before returning home. San Francisco, which entered the weekend 9-3 in conference play, fell to 18-17 overall and 9-4 in conference play.

An Early Trade of Doubles

Both teams scored in the first inning, and both did it with two outs. For the Dons, TJ Rogers walked, moved up on a groundout and scored when Eddison Esquivel doubled to right-center. Portland answered in the bottom half. Bruce drew a walk and Katayama-Stall doubled to right-center to bring him home, tying it 1-1.

Portland freshman Will Labonte, who came into the night with a 2.23 ERA and two WCC Freshman of the Week honors, according to the Pilots' series preview, kept the Dons quiet for the next two innings. San Francisco right-hander Gabriel Barrett did the same, and the game stayed tied into the fourth.

San Francisco Takes the Lead

The Dons went back in front in the fourth with help from the Portland defense. Tyler Harries walked against Labonte, who was then replaced by Segel. Zack Ramppen singled to left, and Jordan Lewis reached when Pilots shortstop Brooks Avery made a throwing error, allowing Harries to score. Isaiah Landry followed with a sacrifice bunt that brought Ramppen home, and USF led 3-1. Both runs were unearned.

Labonte finished with 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, with three strikeouts. San Francisco had a chance to add more in the inning when Jared Lewis singled to put runners on the corners, but Segel struck out Rogers to end it.

The Four-Run Fifth

Portland's response came quickly. Dakota Chun opened the bottom of the fifth with a single to right, Avery walked and Cody Nitowitz laid down a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Bruce then doubled up the middle, scoring Chun and Avery to tie the game 3-3. After Nolan Miller struck out, Katayama-Stall lined a single to center that scored Bruce and Nitowitz, and the Pilots led 5-3.

Barrett was charged with all five Portland runs over 4 2/3 innings and took the loss, falling to 1-4. Chris Byhre and Paul Wheeler followed with 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for San Francisco, according to the Dons' recap, but the Pilots never needed another run.

Katayama-Stall finished 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. The Pilots noted that he became the first Portland player to pass 30 RBIs this season, reaching 31. Nitowitz and Jonas Salk each went 2-for-4, and Bruce scored twice to go with his two-run double.

Segel and Via Close It Out

Segel was the difference on the mound. The right-hander worked 4 2/3 innings in relief without walking a batter, allowing five hits and one unearned run while striking out three, and earned his third win of the season. San Francisco put two runners on in the seventh on singles by Landry and Jared Lewis, but Segel retired the next three hitters. In the eighth, Ramppen grounded into a double play to erase a Harries single.

Via handled the ninth, retiring the side in order and striking out the final batter for his eighth save. According to the Pilots, that total is already the most ever by a Portland true freshman and tied for the ninth-most saves in a single season in program history.

Jared Lewis was a bright spot for San Francisco, going 3-for-5 with three singles. Esquivel and Landry accounted for the Dons' two RBIs.

Home Cooking

The Pilots have been far more comfortable at Joe Etzel Field than away from it. The team's recap said Portland improved to 14-3 at home, with wins in eight of its last nine home games. Friday's game was also a milestone off the field, as the series preview noted it was the first Portland baseball game broadcast on KUNP. The official box score lists an attendance of 633 on a partly sunny evening.

The weekend series against San Francisco was set to continue Saturday at 3 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field, with Sunday's finale scheduled for 1 p.m. After four straight losses, one big inning was enough to get Portland back on track.

Photo Credit: Aaron Leopold/Undrafted