WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The bats came alive in the second game of a double-header for Whitman College as the team squared off against Willamette University Saturday evening. The Missionaries split the two games with the Bearcats with Willamette taking game one 4-1, but Whitman taking game two 8-6. It was the first time since last April that Whitman played at Borleske Stadium and the team took advantage. 
 
Game two started similar to the first, with Willamette scoring twice in the first inning. The Missionaries wasted little time responding, scoring one run in the bottom of the second and cutting the deficit to 2-1. The Bearcats quickly struck back in the third with a run that extended the lead back to two.
 
Adrian Vela delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the third scoring, Jake Wishart, who started the inning with a bunt single, and Anthony Lim, who followed Wishart's bunt with a base hit. The line drive into left field tied the game 3-3. The Missionaries left runners on first and third in the inning, but walked away from the third with score knotted.
 
In the fourth inning, the bats stayed alive for the Whits who grabbed a 4-3 lead over the Bearcats. With Milo Mincin on third base after doubling earlier in the inning, Willamette pitcher, Matt Steindorf balked, sending Mincin home for the lead.
 
Willamette threatened in the fifth. Whitman pitcher, Garrett Atkinson was relieved by Nick Johnson who salvaged the Missionary lead with a bases loaded strikeout. The Whits extended their lead to four in the bottom half of the inning. Vela scored on a fielder's choice and Lucas Thrun scored on a Tyler Lewis sacrifice fly.
 
In the top of the seventh the Bearcats made things interesting, after scoring on a single to right field and narrowing the Whit lead to three, Tyler Janitz homered to right field to cut the lead to one, 7-6. Whitman answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh as the game entered the final two innings with the Missionaries leading 8-6, which is where Nick Johnson would hold the Willamette as Whitman picked up the win in the afternoon session.
 
Game one saw early action by the Bearcats who scored in each of the first and second innings. The Whitman bats were slow to start, but Robert Maislin's pitching kept the Missionaries within striking distance. Whitman had an opportunity in the third to cut the Willamette lead to one with Jasper Crusberg on third with two outs. Alex Behrman hit a groundball up the middle but the Bearcat shortstop gathered the ball and collected the out, keeping the Whits off the scoreboard.
 
After two stolen bases and a base hit, the Missionaries surrendered another run in the top of the fifth as the deficit grew to 3-0. In the top of the seventh Willamette scored again, but Whitman had a chance to answer again, this time in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on first and second and just one out, the Missionaries were not able to answer the call as the score sat 4-0 entering the final inning of play.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Missionaries started to rally. Joseph Zimmer scored on a base hit from Crusberg and Jake Wishart's single loaded the bases with one out. Unfortunately, a double-play ended the rally and dealt Whitman the game one loss. 

The Missionaries will play a double header again tomorrow against the visiting Bearcats in games set for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. PST at Borleske Stadium.