Bellevue College baseball opened up the season showing tremendous grit, as the Bulldogs won their season opener in the final inning then came back to win the nightcap in a 12-inning marathon to sweep Lane by scores of 9-8 and 7-5 on Saturday February 28 at Wilsonville HS (OR). In the season opener, Bellevue offense showed it’s power from start as sophomore transfer Sam Finfer hit a home run in his first Bellevue at bat. Another sophomore transfer Nathan Lorentz also homered in game one. Both were solo shots to right field. Freshman Danny Torlai led Bellevue with three RBI’s as he went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. Lorentz collected three hits in his debut while Trai Patrick, Finfer, and freshman Lawyer Braun each had two hits. Koleman Johns, coming in with a new sidearm delivery with a fast ball in the upper 80 mph range, came in to close the door earning a save as he struck out two of the three batters faced in the bottom of the ninth. In game two, Bellevue had a 5-0 lead midway through, only to see it vanish as Lane put up five runs in the middle innings to tie up the game. Brooks Hanson, a freshman out of Vancouver, WA came in and was the key factor in the win, going six shutout innings in relief as Bellevue needed three extra innings to finally win in the 12th as the Bulldogs had the big inning with three hits as sophomore Alex Check delivered the game winner. On Sunday March 1, Bellevue faced off the projected top pitcher in the NWAC, Lane sophomore Jackson Bertsch, who is expected to be a high draft pick in the Major League draft, and has already signed with the University of Oregon. In front of 20+ professional baseball scouts, Bertsch got the best of Bellevue’s bats as Lane topped the Bulldogs 4-1. The loss overshadowed an excellent pitching outing by starter Corbin Powers, and relievers Marty Luckenbach and Zander Clouse. The three of them combined for 11 strikeouts, only two walks, and six hits. Although Bellevue outhit Lane, defensive miscues and wild pitches accounted for all four of Lane’s runs, and ultimately cost Bellevue the ball game. In the nightcap, a pitching duel between Bellevue’s Noel Gonzalez and Lane’s Connor Mattison. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when BC freshman Tino Peleti uncorked a home run to right field for the game winner. Cody Anderson went three shutout innings to earn the win. Peleti’s home run was Bellevue’s fourth over the weekend. Bellevue’s pitchers also showed promise, as three Bellevue arms were clocked at 90 mph in front of the large entourage of pro scouts in attendance at the talent-laden season opening weekend.
Last Updated March 3, 2015
