DRIFTERS 12, BERRIES 1
SALEM – Drifters leadoff man Hunter Meyer struck the opening pitch for a hit to kick off a three-run first inning in a victory over the Marion Berries. Nolan Miller, playing on his 20th birthday, was 3-for-5 with two RBI. “Nolan Miller had some loud barrels on his birthday,” Drifters coach Jeff Lyle said. Zach Story, Karsten Hansen, and Nick Gimino also had two-RBI games.
Springfield stretched its winning streak against the Berries to 4-0 this season. “It was nice watching the guys compete again and have so much energy and fun doing it,” Lyle said. “The offense contributed early and stayed on the gas pedal for nine innings,” Lyle said. Drifters starter Ethan Atchley from Rice finished strong in the third inning, mixing sliders and high fastballs to total four strikeouts and hold the Berries to one hit. “Ethan has been going out and dominating the strike zone with strike one and filling it up with all his pitches and making quick work of hitters,” Lyle said. “When he gets those first-pitch strikes, he makes himself near-unhittable.”
Colin Gebler gave the Drifters two scoreless innings in his second appearance with the team, striking out three batters across the seventh and eighth. Oregon commit Griffin Scott finished the win with a two-strikeout ninth inning.
DRIFTERS 8, BERRIES 4
SALEM – Springfield defeated Marion, securing its fourth series victory out of its past five series. It’s the Drifters second series victory against Marion this season. “It was nice to see us get tested and have some guts down at the end with some at-bats and pitching,” Lyle said. “It was an exciting team win. Really exciting.”
After the Berries tied the game 4-4 in the eighth inning, Northwest Nazarene outfielder Aiden Gebhard laid down a bunt single. Gebhard proceeded to steal second base for his 20th stolen base of the year while Hunter Meyer and Chase Nye each reached base, setting the table for Cooper Mullens with no outs. The redshirt junior second baseman from Michigan hit a bases-clearing triple to right field to give the Drifters a three-run lead. He would come around to score on an error by the Berries and finished the night with four RBI. Springfield’s pitching staff combined for four runs and 10 strikeouts.
Junior right-hander Gabe Howard from Oregon started his first game on the mound for the Drifters, giving up one run and two hits through three innings. The Drifters moved to 5-0 on the season against Marion – 9-2 all-time vs. the Berries.
BERRIES 3, DRIFTERS 2
SALEM – Springfield’s three-hit rally in the eighth inning provided the go-ahead run, but UCLA sophomore Tyler Dunning answered for the Berries with a decisive two-run single in the bottom of the inning as Marion avoided a series sweep at Chemeketa Baseball Field. Aiden Gebhard anchored the Drifters’ pitching staff through the first four innings, while Cooper Mullens, Matthew Bollinger. and Zach Story each collected two hits for the offense. Gebhard stranded two hitters and gave up two walks with five strikeouts across four innings. Marion starter Colten Amai Nakagawa matched him for six innings, striking out nine Drifters batters. “Hat tip to their starter; he threw well and kept us off-balance,” Lyle said.
Note: Capsules compiled and edited from information provided by Drifters interns Henry Light and Dillon Zamperin.
