LOGGERS WELCOME WILLAMETTE
The Loggers found their winning way by taking three of four from Lewis & Clark last weekend. This week, they are hoping for a little bit of sunshine as they battle with the Bearcats of Willamette on Saturday and Sunday.
Loggers on Saturday
Using a solo home run in the top of the third, senior Michael Olsen (Niwot, Colo.) became the new school record holder for home runs in a season but the Lewis & Clark Pioneers defeated the Puget Sound Loggers, 17-7, in a Northwest Conference baseball game on Saturday afternoon in Portland, Ore. The Loggers lead game two, 9-4, in the top of the seventh but will have to wait until Sunday to resume that game as it was called because of darkness.
In the first game, the Pioneers exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second and then equaled that in the bottom of the third to take a 12-1 lead after just three full frames. Shaun Kiriu (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) drove in two runs in the top of the fourth but L&C answered back with three in the bottom of the inning to push their lead to 15-3. The Loggers added a single run in the fifth before the Pios finished their scoring with two runs in the sixth. The final runs came in the top of the seventh with three Logger runs before the game was declared official.
Dusty Kauflin (Boulder, Colo.) took the loss, allowing 11 runs, nine of them earned, on just three hits with eight walks and four strikeouts in two and one-third innings pitched.
The home run by Olsen was his 12th of the season, passing the previous record of 11 by current UPS head coach Brian Billings.
Loggers on Sunday
Senior Ryan Gustafson (Bellevue, Wash./Sammamish) recorded wins in both games of a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader as the Puget Sound Loggers defeated the Lewis & Clark Pioneer, 7-6 and 10-2, on Sunday afternoon in Portland, Ore. The Loggers also completed a 9-4 win in a suspended game from Saturday.
In Sunday's first game, the Loggers struck first, using a three-run home run by Gregorio Beck (Chico, Calif.) to take a 3-0 lead after a half-frame. After a lone L&C run in the bottom of the first, the Loggers added two more in the second to push the lead to 5-1. The Pioneers added two runs in the bottom of the third and then took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth but freshman Dakota Resnik (Bellevue, Wash./Newport) singled in Shaun Kiriu (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) in the top of the sixth to tie things up at 6-6.
Puget Sound took the lead in the top of the seventh, using a single by Travis Hernandez (Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison) to drive home the winning run and earn the 7-6 win. Gustafson earned the win after pitching four innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
In the nightcap, the Pios struck first with a run in the bottom of the third but the Loggers tied the game on a solo home run by Beck in the fifth and then took the lead on a Michael Olsen (Niwot, Colo) double in the sixth that score Kiriu. Lewis & Clark tied the game in the bottom of the inning and after a scoreless seventh inning, the teams headed into extra innings.
In the eighth, the Logger bats exploded for eight runs, highlighted by a three RBI double by Hernandez as the Loggers took the final game of the series, 10-2. Gustafson again got the win, this time pitching two innings of no-hit ball with one strikeout.
Before the scheduled games on Sunday, the Loggers completed a 9-4 win over L&C. Senior Joe Newland (Tulalip, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck) hit his eighth home run of the season in the win. Cameron Duvall (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) collected the win while Tim Fogarty (Pacifica, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) earned the save.
Statistically Speaking
Michael Olsen is having an all-star season. He currently leads the Northwest Conference in hitting percentage with a mark of .440. He's also top three in three other categories including second in homeruns (12), runs-batted-in (37), and runs scored (33). Sean Kiriu has moved up on the doubles list, now in second with 13 doubles. Ryan Gustafson has tallied three saves on the season, good enough for third in the league.
Scouting Willamette
The Willamette Bearcats head to Tacoma with a record of 11-9 in Northwest Conference play and 15-14 overall. The Bearcats are lead by senior centerfielder Sean Anderson. Anderson hits .346 with 23 RBIs and five homeruns. He's also quick on the bases with 12 stolen bases. First baseman Kyle Stalker is also a threat from the plate. Stalker's .339 batting average is over shadowed by his league leading 16 homeruns. From the hill, Kelsey Nakata carries a 2.62 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched. Southpaw Clint Moran also has seen success, throwing 50.1 innings and supporting a 5.54 ERA. Moran has 33 walks and 33 strikeouts on the season.
Head Coach Brian Billings
Loggers Head Coach Brian Billings is in his sixth season. A 1999 graduate of Puget Sound, Billings picked up his 100th coaching victory this past weekend at Lewis & Clark. Billing sits at 101-111-1 as head skipper for the Loggers.
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