BACK ON TRACK
The weather finally cooperated with the Loggers as they had a busy week of softball, culminating with an extra-innings win over Willamette on Monday. This week, Lewis & Clark and George Fox come to Tacoma to visit the maroon and white.
The Loggers v. Willamette (Saturday)
Combining for six home runs and 24 runs on the day, the Willamette Bearcats couldn't be stopped as they swept the Puget Sound Loggers in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader, 7-2 and 17-7, on Saturday at Logger Softball Field in Tacoma.
In the first game, senior Valarie Barone (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Loggers an early 2-0 lead but Willamette answered back, scoring seven unanswered runs. On top of a potent WU offense, Nikki Franchi was solid in the circle for Willamette, striking out 14 UPS batters will allowing just four hits to collect the win. And Doerflinger (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau-Douglas) took the loss, allowing seven runs, just one earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts.
In the second game, it looked like the Loggers might get the win as they used a five-run second inning and two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 7-4 lead over Willamette. Then, much like the first game, the Bearcat bats awoke to the tune of two runs in the fourth, eight runs, including four home runs, in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh as WU took the 17-7 win. Franchi again collected the win, pitching four and one-third innings of scoreless ball with four strikeouts. Auriel Sperberg (Tacoma, Wash./Graham-Kapowsin) took the win for UPS, allowing 11 runs, nine earned, on 13 hits in five-plus innings pitched.
The Loggers v. Linfield
With the defending national champions in town, the Puget Sound Loggers knew the fourth-ranked Linfield Wildcats were good and the 'Cats collected the Northwest Conference softball doubleheader, 8-0 and 8-3, on Sunday afternoon at Logger Softball Field in Tacoma, Wash.
In the first game, Linfield (30-2, 19-1 NWC) took the lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first and never looked back, scoring eight runs on eight hits to take the 8-0 victory. Junior Brittany Miller became the first Linfield pitcher to record 400 career strikeouts after striking out 11 UPS batters to collect the victory. Andi Doerflinger (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau-Douglas) took the loss, allowing eight runs, five earned, on eight hits in seven innings pitched.
In the second game, the Logger defense stepped it up and the Logger offense had some fun. The Wildcats continued their strong offensive output from the first game by scoring five runs in the top of the first but the Loggers played well after that. Puget Sound got on the board in the bottom of the second when Meghan Watson (Brier, Wash./Mountlake Terrace) scored on a failed pickoff attempt that sailed down the left field line.
In the fourth, Noelle Vallecorsa (Federal Way, Wash.) showed her speed by scoring following a fielders choice and a throwing error that ended up out of play that put Hilary Rice (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy) on third base. Lindsay Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) then doubled to left center to score Rice and bring the Loggers within two runs, 5-3. Linfield added a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull back ahead by five runs, 8-3, as they swept the doubleheader.
Kendra Strahm collected the win for Linfield while Samantha Van Noy collected the save. Freshman Auriel Sperberg (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau-Douglas) took the loss, allowing eight runs on nine hits in five innings pitched.
The Loggers v. Willamette (Monday)
The Puget Sound Loggers were guests on their own field but it didn't faze the maroon and white as they split a pair of Northwest Conference softball games in extra innings, 4-3 and 9-7, against the Willamette Bearcats on Monday afternoon at Logger Softball Field in Tacoma. Because the games were originally scheduled at Willamette, the Loggers played as the visiting team in both games.
In the first game, the Loggers took a quick lead when Lindsay Fujita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) hit a lead-off home run to left field that gave Puget Sound a 1-0 lead. The Loggers extended the lead on a long ball in the top of the fourth when Victoria Raeburn (Portland, Ore./Gladstone) hit a bomb to left field to give UPS a 2-0 lead. Willamette answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth but the Loggers again took the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Stephanie Hatley (Keizer, Ore./McNary) that scored Valarie Barone (San Jose, Calif./Leigh).
In the bottom of the seventh, Willamette's LaShawna Holcomb drew a bases-loaded walk that tied the game at 3-3 and forced an extra frame. In the eighth, Caitlin Waugh hit a sacrifice fly to deep center that scored Nicole Wallace and gave Willamette the 4-3 win. Nikki Franchi got the win for Willamette, allowing three runs on five hits with 16 strikeouts and four walks in eight innings pitched. Andi Doerflinger (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau-Douglas) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in seven and two-thirds innings pitched.
In the second game, it was the Bearcats who struck first, using a Elizabeth Gilgan home run in the bottom of the first to give WU a 1-0 lead. The Loggers tied in up in the second when Noelle Vallecorsa (Federal Way, Wash.) doubled to left center to score Nikki LaFemina (Kennewick, Wash./Kamiakin). After a lone Willamette run in the bottom of the second, the Loggers used a Raeburn double down the right field line to score Meghan Watson (Brier, Wash./Mountlake Terrace) and Fujita. Puget Sound got another in the fourth when Barone drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Kelli Ishii (Aiea, Hawaii/Punahou) and gave the Loggers a 4-2 lead.
The Bearcats picked up single runs in the fourth and fifth to cut the gap to just one run. In the top of the seventh, Hatley took advantage of three wild pitches by Amy Valencia to score and then Ishii doubled to right field to score Hilary Rice (St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy). Just like the first game, the Bearcats managed to tie it up in the bottom of the seventh to force an extra frame but the Loggers didn't give up, using a two-run home run by Barone to take the 9-7 win and snap an eight-game losing streak.
Auriel Sperberg (Tacoma, Wash./Graham-Kapowsin) got the win, allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits in eight innings thrown. Debra Bohren took the loss for Willamette, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning pitched.
Scouting Lewis & Clark
The Pioneers come to Tacoma with a record of 2-29 overall and 2-22 in NWC play. After a win against George Fox on April 1, the Pios have lost eight straight. Laura Parker leads the L&C hitters with an average of .325. As a team, the Pioneers have just 13 extra base hits on the year. In the circle, the Pios are having a rough year, posting a staff ERA of 7.26 with just 92 strikeouts.
Scouting George Fox
The Bruins head into the weekend with a record of 3-27-1, including 3-21 in NWC play. All three wins have come against Lewis & Clark. Currently, GFU is riding a six game losing streak. Ashley Peterson is hitting .400 in 30 at-bats while the Bruins are averaging .208 from the plate. In the circle, the Bruins have a staff ERA of 8.10 in 31 appearances.
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 453-301-3. 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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