FOREST GROVE, Ore. – After playing an 11 inning contest to finish up the day yesterday Whitman College and Pacific University played a 10 inning game to close out the series Sunday afternoon. This time, Whitman was sure to capitalize in crunch time, leading to a 6-4 victory over the Boxers.
 
Paul Heywood, who went 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs, and Jackson DeStefano, who singled in the final at-bat, helped seal their Whitman careers with a win Sunday. Anthony Lim contributed three hits and two runs, Joseph Zimmer, who currently ranks fourth in the nation in runs (44) and sixth in hits (58), reached base three times and scored once. Alex Behrman's 2-for-3 day also included a run and an RBI that helped cap the 6-4 victory.  
 
Nick Johnson started on the mound for the Whits and threw 6.2 innings, surrendering four runs on nine hits while striking out five. In the seventh inning, head coach Brian Kitamura went to his bullpen where he called on first year, Milo Mincin to relieve Johnson. Mincin stifled the Boxers' bats, allowing just one hit in 3.1 innings while collecting the win.
 
In the top of the first Whitman jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch that allowed Lim to score. Pacific would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning and then take the lead in the bottom of the second. The Whits wasted little time jumping back in front, as they piled on three runs in the top of the third.
 
After Lim, Zimmer and Adrian Vela loaded the bases, Heywood delivered a two RBI single into left field that gave Whitman a 3-2 advantage. Behrman hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the inning, bringing Vela in for a two-run cushion. From that point the Whits relied on the arm of Johnson who frustrated the Boxers until the sixth inning when they cut the Whitman lead to one, 4-3.
 
In the seventh, Pacific re-tied the game on a three-hit inning. Mincin took over on the mound with two outs in the inning and retired the final batter with runners in scoring position. After a scoreless eighth and ninth inning, Whitman used a two run 10th to pull out the win.
 
Lucas Thrun led off the inning with a bunt single and moved over on a groundball by Patrick Stanton. After Behrman singled, Thrun advanced to third base and was able to come home for the eventual game-winning run after an error on Pacific's left fielder. Before the inning ended Behrman scored to give the Whits a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning. Mincin shut the Boxers down, forcing a fly out and ground out before registering a strikeout to end the game.
 
Whitman's much improved season was a step in the right direction as the team more than doubled its wins from last season. Sophomore, Zimmer was a bright spot all year for the Whits, as his standout season included 17 doubles, which ranks third in the nation, 58 hits and 44 runs, all good enough for a top-10 ranking nationally. Losing just three seniors, Whitman will be back next year ready to pick up right where they left off this season; winning.