BACK IN THE NORTHWEST
The Loggers will play a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this week before turning the focus back to Northwest Conference play next week. UPS hosts Saint Martin's on Wednesday before hosting NAIA-power Simon Fraser on Saturday.
Tuesday at Sun West
Competing in the sunny Southern California sun, the Puget Sound Loggers split a pair of games on Tuesday at the Sun West Tournament in Orange, Calif. The Loggers defeated St. Catherine, 11-3, in their first game of the tournament before falling to host-Chapman in the nightcap, 9-1.
In their first game of the tournament, the Logger offense came alive. After three runs in the top of the first inning and one more in the second, UPS gave up two runs in the bottom of the third to keep the game close, 4-3, after two frames. In the top of the fourth, the Loggers opened up the lead when senior Lindsay Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punaho) singled to left field to score Hilary Rice (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy) and Amelia Kurashige-Elliott (Berkeley, Calif.). In the fifth, the Loggers used a five-run inning, highlighted by a Fujita triple and give Puget Sound the 11-3 lead. St. Catherine couldn't get a run across in the bottom of the fifth and the game ended after five with the Loggers up by eight.
Freshman Auriel Sperberg (Tacoma, Wash./Graham-Kapowsin) got the win after allowing just one hit in three innings of relief. Kayla Bergerson took the loss for CSC, allowing 11 runs, just four earned, on 13 hits.
In the nightcap, the Loggers got on the board first, scoring their lone run in the second inning. After recording two outs, the Loggers got on base with a walk by Noelle Vallecorsa (Federal Way, Wash.) and bunt single by Kurashige-Elliott. Rice knocked in their lone run via a sharply hit ball to the third baseman. Chapman would go on to shut out the Loggers, only allowing two other hits by Ishii and Vallecrosa as they picked up the 9-1 win.
Bijou Felder (Berkley, Calif./St. Mary's) falls to 2-3 on the season for the Loggers. Katie Finley for Chapman earned the win with nine strikeouts and three walks.
Wednesday at Sun West
Playing two more games on Wednesday at the Sun West Tournament at Hart Park in Orange, Calif., the Puget Sound Loggers found themselves on the wrong end of two close ball games, falling to Wesleyan, 4-3, in the first game before dropping a tough one to St. Thomas (Minn.), 3-0, in the final game of the afternoon.
In the first game of the day, the Loggers fell behind early following a single run for Wesleyan in the top of the first and a solo home run by the Cardinal's Molly O'Connell in the second inning. The Loggers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when Kelli Ishii (Aiea, Hawaii/Punahou) hit a pop-fly that was dropped by the Wesleyan shortstop to allow Meagan Watson (Brier, Wash./Mountlake Terrace) to score.
The Cardinals then doubled their score in the top on the seventh on a long home run by Talia Bernstein that gave Wesleyan at 4-1 lead. The Loggers went on a rally of their own in the bottom of the inning. Senior Valarie Barone (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) singled in sophomore Hilary Rice (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy) and then Ishii grounded out to first with bases loaded to score Lindsay Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou). Junior Stephanie Hatley (Keizer, Ore./McNary) nearly won the game for the Loggers, hitting a long fly to center field but Wesleyan got under the ball to collect the third out and earn the 4-3 victory.
Freshman Auriel Sperberg (Tacoma, Wash./Graham-Kapowsin) took the loss for UPS, allowing four runs on 12 hits in seven innings pitched. Karla Hargrove earned the win for Wesleyan, allowing three runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Anu Rimal collect the save, allowing just one hit in one inning of relief to finish the game.
In the second game of the day, the Loggers faced off against fourth-ranked St. Thomas and the game turned out to be anything but a normal day at the ball field. St. Thomas scored single runs in the first, third and sixth innings to earn a 3-0 victory but it was a very unusual play in the bottom of the sixth that will be the play of the game for all involved. With one out and runners on first and second, UST right fielder Allison Wright hit a tower shot towards the fence in right-center by Rice was able to run it out, leap over the fence and make a beautiful catch for the second out. The umpires then ruled the ball was still in play and the Loggers were able to throw the ball in to appeal the runner from first that was standing on second who did not tag-up as the Loggers picked up the unconventional F834 double play. Bijou Felder (Berkeley, Calif./St. Mary's) took the loss for the Loggers, allowing three runs, two earned, on 12 hits in six innings pitched. Marta Radcliffe earned the win for UST, allowing four hits in seven innings of scoreless work with six strikeouts.
Thursday at Sun West
Junior Kelsey Scanlon (Vancouver, Wash./Clark CC) hit the game-winning home run in the first game of the day as the Puget Sound Loggers split their final two games at the Sun West Tournament on Thursday morning at Hart Park in Orange, Calif. The Loggers defeated Knox, 3-1, in the first game before falling to Williams, 8-4, in the final game in the sun.
In the first game, the Loggers gave up a run in the second inning following a UPS error but Puget Sound answered back in the bottom of the third when Valarie Barone (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) singled through the right side to score Hilary Rice (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy). After two and one-half innings of scoreless softball, Scanlon found a fat pitch over the heart of the plate and drove it deep beyond the left field fence for the two-run homerun that also scored Kelli Ishii (Aiea, Hawaii/Punahou) and gave UPS the 3-1 win.
Freshman Andi Doerflinger (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau-Douglas) earned the win for Puget Sound, allowing one unearned run on seven hits in seven innings with four strikeouts. Bridget McCune was handed the loss for Knox, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits in five and one-third innings pitched.
In the second game, the Loggers fell behind early after the Ephs of Williams scored three quick runs in the top of the first. Puget Sound earned one back in the bottom of the second after Amelia Kurashige-Elliott (Berkeley, Calif.) hit into a bases-loaded fielders choice that scored Ishii. Williams answered back with three more run, all unearned, in the top of the third and one more in the fifth to hold a 7-1 lead over Puget Sound.
The Loggers put together a rally in the fifth inning, led off by a powerful double by Victoria Raeburn (Portland, Ore./Gladstone) that scored Ishii. Freshman Carolyn Moore (Seattle, Wash./Holy Names) drove in the Loggers' second run of the inning after hitting a single down the left field line that scored Scanlon. The Loggers kept it going when Rice singled to score Raeburn. Lindsay Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) nearly tied it up with two outs, hitting an inning-ending fly ball to deep center that was caught by a Williams outfielder.
Williams added one more run in the seventh to collect the 8-4 victory. Morgan Simpson picked up the win for Williams, allowing three runs on six hits in four innings of relief. Bijou Felder (Berkeley, Calif./St. Mary's) was handed the loss after allowing eight runs, just five earned, on 16 hits with four strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
Statistically Speaking
The Loggers lead the Northwest Conference in total plate appearances (611), at bats (539), innings pitchers (130.2), putouts (392), assists (225), and double plays (12). Individually, Lindsay Fujita is tops in total plate appearances (75) while Valarie Barone leads the NWC in at bats (65). Victoria Raeburn is first in putouts (145) while Meghan Watson is tops in assists (60), with Kelli Ishii close behind (59).
NWC Player of the Week
Logger sophomore Hilary Rice was named Northwest Conference Player of the Week after hitting .688 (11 for 16) with a double and five runs scored for the Loggers at the Sun West Tournament. She also had an outstanding week defensively, robbing St. Thomas of a three-run home run.
Scouting Saint Martin's
The Saints head up I-5 on Wednesday with a record of 11-17 overall, including 3-5 in the Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Holly Morris leads SMU at the plate, hitting .400 in 80 at-bats with six doubles, seven home runs and 22 RBIs. In the circle, Alicia Fuchs is 4-2 with a 1.60 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched.
Scouting Simon Fraser
The Clan from Burnaby, B.C. will come to Tacoma, holding a record of 3-4 overall. Offensively, SFU is hitting .319 as a team with eight doubles, nine home runs and 38 RBIs. In the circle, the Clan pitchers hold a 6.70 ERA in seven appearances with 20 strikeouts and 24 walks.
The Coach
The real strength of the Loggers might just be in the third-base coaches box as Robin Hamilton enters her 22nd season at the helm of the Loggers. Currently Puget Sound's winningest head coach in school history, the Idaho State graduate holds a career record of 452-294-3. In 21 years at UPS, she has had 17 winning seasons, two NAIA runner-up finishes and five Conference and Regional Coach of the year awards.
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