PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — The Portland Pilots rallied from an early four-run deficit and rode a stellar relief outing from Kaden Segel to an 8-5 victory over the Saint Mary’s Gaels in a nonconference baseball game Saturday at Joe Etzel Field.

The Pilots improved to 16-8 overall, while the Gaels moved to 13-12. The result evened the weekend series after Saint Mary’s shut out Portland 3-0 on Friday.

The most important part of the game was the middle-inning surge by the Portland bullpen, spearheaded by Segel, which halted the Gaels’ offense after they had built a 5-1 lead. Saint Mary’s struck early, scoring twice in the second inning on an RBI single by Jared Mettam and a sacrifice fly from Ta Griffith, then adding another in the third on Brady Petit’s sacrifice fly.

Portland’s offense, held to one run through two innings, erupted in the third against Saint Mary’s starter Talin Gardini. Ben Bean led off with a solo home run. After a walk, Cole Katayama-Stall launched a two-run homer to right field, bringing the Pilots within a run.

The Gaels answered in the top of the fourth when Mettam hit a solo home run to left, restoring a two-run cushion at 5-3. That chase of Gardini, who allowed four earned runs on no hits with five walks and five strikeouts over three innings, marked a turning point.

Portland tied the game in the bottom of the fourth against reliever Sam Kretsch. Brady Avery tripled and scored on a Carter Stewart groundout. Then, in the sixth, Stewart delivered the decisive blow, a two-run homer to left-center following a walk to Avery, giving the Pilots their first lead at 7-5.

Segel entered with two on and one out in the fourth and promptly induced an inning-ending groundout. He then dominated over the next four innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out four. His 4 1/3-inning performance stabilized the game for Portland after starter Logan Anderson and Michael Codron combined to allow five runs over the first 3 1/3 innings.

Saint Mary’s pulled one back in the seventh on a solo home run by Ian Armstrong off Segel, but could get no closer. The Pilots added an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI single by Nick Miller.

Alexander Via closed the game for Portland in the ninth, stranding runners at the corners to secure the win.

Mettam led Saint Mary’s with two hits, including his home run, and two RBIs. Katayama-Stall and Stewart each homered for Portland, with Stewart driving in three runs.

The Pilots outhit the Gaels 11-9. The teams conclude their three-game series on Sunday.