2013 Baseball Season

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to those who live in the Portland area with access to a window…..but today’s scheduled baseball game between the Portland Pilots and Utah Valley Wolverines at Joe Etzel Field has been rained out.

The weekend series will be re-shuffled with a Saturday double header beginning at 10 a.m. and Sunday's series finale set for 12 p.m.

I think I heard the PA announcer tell us that admission to the games will be free if you show your ticket stub from last night’s UP/USD basketball game…….so now we can watch baseball and basketball tomorrow when UP and SCU play in the Chiles Center at 2pm.

Had the opportunity to watch some Pilots baseball before and after the basketball game on Saturday as UP hosted Utah Valley in a double-header.

The Pilots (1-6) broke out fast in the first game taking a 4-0 lead, but ended up losing 7-6, and 3-1 in the nightcap, (Ha-ha, I’ve got to find the origin of “nightcap” in describing the second game of a double-header.)

Frustrating losses for sure, as the Pilots stranded a total of 22 base runners in the two games.

UP’s back at Joe Etzel field again tomorrow at noon.

Pilots just shut out #21 UC-Irivne 2-0 on the road. That's a nice win.

Good outings from starter Travis Radke and Billy Sahlinger with the save.

The Pilots are now 3-7 after a tough start to the season. They lost four on the road to the ranked Mississippi State squad; picked up a win at Seattle U; lost two out of three at home Utah Valley State; and lost at ranked UO despite three Pilots pitcher allowing only three hits on the night.

After three more games at #21 UC Irvine the Pilots finally get back home on Tuesday afternoon against the ranked OSU Beavers @ 2pm at Joe Etzel Field....weather permitting.

Ten of Portland’s first 14 games of the 2013 season are against ranked opponents…..hmm, Coach Sperry must be learning from Coach Reveno.

The Pilots opened their 3-game homestand -vs- UC Riverside with a 4-2 win. Sophomore left- hander Travis Radke got back on track with a 14 strikeout gem - only the 7th pitcher in Pilot history to record at least 14 K's in a game and he did it in 7 innings! Congratulations to Travis and his teammates for a big victory.

Special note: Saturday's game will be an early start at 10:00am instead of 1:00pm as previously posted. Officials hope to take advantage of drier weather in the morning to get the game in and avoid a rain delay. Sunday's final game is set for a noon start and the weather looks a bit more promising.

It was good the Pilots weathermen got it right and the game started 3 hours early today, because the Pilots got it right on the diamond and won 2-0 before the rains came.

Sophomore Kurt Yinger went the distance on the hill and sophomore Caleb Whalen broke a scoreless tie with an RBI triple in the seventh inning as the Pilots blanked the UC Riverside.

Yinger registered a career-high 12 strikeouts in his first complete game and shutout as a Pilot.

The Pilots, who received a 14-strikeout performance by left-hander Travis Radke yesterday, improve to 6-12 on the year. The Highlanders drop to 9-9.

Tomorrow's game is still scheduled for 1 pm.

An OLD friend of mine, a UP Alum, was taking some out-of-town friends for a highlight tour of San Francisco today and they wanted to see AT&T Park, home of the Giants.

To their surprise, and my friend's delight, the Pilots were playing USF when they arrived, and UP won 5-1.

No indication if all the kayaks and rafts were out in McCovey Cove today……

Great day for a game or two, as you probably saw if you looked out the window.

I got to the field in the 7th inning of the first game when it was tied 1-1. The Pilots won it on a walk-off walk in the 10th.

Second game was not as dramatic after the Pilots broke it open in the 7th for a 10-3 win. The good thing from this one was how they got 13 hits. It appears they've been struggling at the plate this season.

It was also great to see JR Bunda back on the mound at all after what he's been through, and he had a good relief outing.