While the rest of the NWAC North Region baseball teams opened up league play this weekend, Bellevue College won three of four against sixth-ranked Chemeketa (OR). On Thursday March 30, Bellevue won a pair 15-7 and 6-5 in 11 innings. In game one, Austin Pinorini went 5-for-5 with four doubles and six RBI’s while relief pitcher Robbie Shineman threw the final three innings without surrendering a hit or a walk while striking out six. In the nightcap, Bellevue jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning but allowed Chemeketa to tie the game in the eighth. Brennen Hancock hit the walk-off double to the wall in right-center field to score Grant DeLappe who led off the inning with a double down the left field line in the eleventh inning.
On Saturday April 1, Bellevue traveled to Salem, OR to take on Chemeketa and split a pair, losing the first game 11-6 and winning the nightcap 6-4. In game one, Bellevue fell behind quickly 5-0 and committed seven errors in the game making it difficult to come back. In the nightcap, Bellevue had a much cleaner game on the defensive front as Kash Koltermann ran his record to 3-0 by spinning a four-hitter to lead the ‘dogs. Austin Shenton had two hits to lead BC offensively. Eli Herrick, earned the save, although in an interesting fashion as Chemeketa scored two runs in the ninth before Herrick coaxed back-to-back fly balls to left fielder Mason Cerrillo to end the game.
Bellevue is now 16-6 overall as they head into league play this weekend in the NWAC’s longest standing baseball rivalry against Edmonds. The rivalry has featured two teams who have finished near the top of the North Region standings for the last 30-years, dating back to the early 1980’s. The Bulldogs host Edmonds this Saturday April 8 at 1:00 before traveling to Edmonds on Sunday.
In the recent Under Armour NWAC Baseball Poll (coach vote), Edmonds is ranked number one while Bellevue is ranked fourth overall. In the RPI rankings (computer generated via statistical analysis), Bellevue is ranked number one.
Last Updated April 3, 2017
