Clark’s Eckert solid again in doubleheader split

Travis Eckert pitched a five-hit shutout as the Clark College baseball team earned a split against Chemeketa on Sunday at Salem, Ore.

Eckert (9-1), who has thrown 28 consecutive scoreless innings, helped the Penguins to a 1-0 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

The Oregon State-bound pitcher struck out four and walked two, lowering his ERA to 0.63, which is second lowest among all NWAACC pitchers and first among starting pitchers.

Parker Franklin’s hit scored Brayden Maney in the seventh inning for the only run of the game.

Chemeketa (20-21, 12-16 NWAACC South) won the second game 6-5 in nine innings.

Clark (28-12, 18-8) had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth when Michael Gonzales scored on Boyd Lainhart’s sacrifice fly.

Chemeketa then won the game in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run on a pass ball and then a one-out single.

Jake Ripley was 3 for 5 with an RBI for Clark.

The Penguins face Lane in a doubleheader today at Eugene.

(Click here for Game 1 boxscore: Clark 1, Chemeketa 0)

(Click here for Game 2 boxscore: Chemeketa 6, Clark 5)