PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — A seven-run seventh inning propelled the Portland Pilots to a 9-5 victory over the Pacific Tigers on Saturday evening at Joe Etzel Field, giving Portland a 2-1 series win in the three-game West Coast Conference set.

Portland improved to 27-25 overall; Pacific fell to 23-27-1.

The Tigers jumped ahead early. In the top of the first, Brendan O’Sullivan grounded out, but Robert Orr reached on a throwing error by shortstop Joseph Fagan. Jake Tandy walked and Grant MacArthur grounded out, moving runners to second and third, but Braeden Schnabel flied out to deep center to end the threat.

Pacific broke through in the second. JT Shank fouled out, Rylan Evans flied out, and Blaine French singled. Diego Davis reached on a fielder’s choice that erased French at second, leaving the inning scoreless.

Portland answered in the bottom of the second. After Trey Swygart grounded out, Jonas Salk singled, Gage Bruce singled, and JT Landwehr singled to drive in Salk. Carter Stewart struck out, but Fagan walked to load the bases. Cody Nitowitz walked to force in Bruce, making it 2-0 Portland.

Pacific tied the game in the third. O’Sullivan struck out looking, Orr grounded out, but Tandy singled. MacArthur then crushed a two-run homer to deep left field, scoring Tandy and knotting the game at 2-2. Schnabel lined out to third.

Both teams traded empty innings until the fifth, when Pacific regained the lead. Davis was hit by a pitch, O’Sullivan walked, and Orr sacrificed them to second and third. Tandy singled to shallow right, driving in Davis, putting Pacific ahead 3-2. MacArthur grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the sixth, Schnabel singled and advanced on a passed ball. Shank struck out, Evans flied out, and French was hit by a pitch. Davis then singled down the right field line, scoring Schnabel and moving French to third, extending the lead to 4-2. O’Sullivan grounded out to short.

Portland chipped away in the bottom of the sixth. Salk was hit by a pitch, Bruce popped out, and Landwehr singled. Stewart walked to load the bases. Fagan hit an infield fly, but a pinch-hitter Landon Kauffman singled, scoring Salk to cut the deficit to 4-3. KatayamaStall lined out to end the inning.

The game turned in the seventh. Pacific brought in Nathen Nino, who was replaced by Ethan Shaver after facing two batters. Bean lined out, Swygart singled, Salk was hit by a pitch, and Bruce was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Landwehr was then hit by a pitch, forcing in Swygart to tie the game 4-4. Stewart hit an infield fly, but Fagan singled, scoring Salk and putting Portland ahead 5-4. Nolan Miller pinch-hit and delivered a two-run single, scoring Bruce and Landwehr to extend the lead to 7-4. KatayamaStall struck out, but Portland had seized control with a five-run inning.

In the eighth, Portland added two more. Bean walked, stole second, and Bruce homered to deep left field, stretching the lead to 9-4.

Pacific mounted a rally in the ninth. Alex Dolan singled, Levi Sotomayor flied out, and Derek Bartram singled. Colin Spear walked to load the bases. Peyton Richards sacrificed to center, scoring Dolan to make it 9-5. Schnabel flied out to left-center to end the game.

Key performers for Pacific included MacArthur’s two-run homer, Tandy’s two hits and an RBI, and Davis’ two RBIs. For Portland, Bruce delivered a home run and two RBIs, Landwehr drove in two, and Miller contributed a two-run single. Fagan had two RBIs.

The series opened Thursday with a 7-5 Pacific victory, then Portland prevailed 3-2 in 12 innings Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Pacific 6, Portland 3, while Interstat’s ELO system gave Portland a 74.10 percent probability to win.