WRAPPING UP 2008
The Puget Sound Loggers closed the book on the 2008 season with a set of exciting games with the Lutes of Pacific Lutheran.
Loggers on Saturday
The Puget Sound Loggers and Pacific Lutheran Lutes split the opening games of a four game Northwest Conference set 8-3 and an 18-16 rally late into the evening at Logger Field on Saturday.
The Lutes (23-12-2, 20-10 NWC) came out quick, plating a run in the first frame. Puget Sound (18-19, 14-16 NWC) answered in the second when Sean Bayha (Arlington, Wash.) reached base via a base-on-balls. Bayha would then score on error by pitcher Robert Bleeker. PLU would go on the pick up five runs in the next two innings, pulling away from the Loggers. Travis Hernandez (Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison) began the Logger rally in the seventh with a lead-off double into right field. Shaun Kiru (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) followed that up with an RBI triple into left. Kiriu would score while the Lutes attempted to pick off Dakota Resnik (Bellevue, Wash./Newport). That would conclude the Logger rally. The Lutes would win game one 8-3.
Logger Senior Tom Glassman (Tacoma, Wash./Biola) ended his collegiate career today in a loss. Glassman (1-7) threw 8.2 innings, giving up eight runs while striking out five. Bleeker improved to 6-0 for PLU in his final outing of the season, pitching seven innings.
Game two began at 3:45 pm and would last for a while. PLU began the marathon in the first with a pair of runs. The Loggers would follow that up with four in the bottom half of the frame. Following a walk by Resnik, Jarvis Nohara (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani) and Michael Olsen (Niwot, Colo.) took their spots on the bases. Olsen’s hit scored Resnick. Gregorio Beck (Chico, Calif.) would be hit by pitcher Paul DiPietro setting up Joe Newland (Tulalip, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck). Newland sent a screaming single into centerfield, plating both Nohara and Olsen. An error later in the inning would plate Beck, giving the Loggers a 4-2 lead.
Pacific Lutheran took a 7-2 lead after plating five in the second. In the bottom of the third, the Loggers would begin to pull away by scoring six runs on six hits. Doug Cox (Kailua, Hawaii/Kalaheo) opened the inning by legging out a shot to the shortstop. Bayha’s double to left center gave Hernandez the opportunity to hit a RBI single. Nohara would later come up and hit a two-RBI single, plating both Bayha and Hernandez. Olsen perfectly laid down the bunt and legging it out to reach base. Newland, who was earlier thrown out for trying to stretch a single into a double, left no doubt when he hit a two-RBI, stand up double to the centerfield fence, giving the Loggers a 11-7 lead after three.
The Loggers added to their lead with a three spot in both the seventh and eighth innings, highlighted by Beck’s sixth homerun of the season. Puget Sound had an 18-8 lead heading into the final frame.
The Lutes of Pacific Lutheran never gave up hope. They would plate eight runs on seven hits and two Logger walks to cut the lead to two. However, Ryan Gustafson (Bellevue, Wash./Sammamish) came in and picked up his fifth save of the season, securing the 18-16 Logger victory. This game concluded as darkness sat in, eclipsing the four hour mark, and ending at 7:48 pm.
Dusty Kauflin (Boulder, Colo.) was the Logger starter. In the no decision, Kauflin allowed seven runs on six hits. Tim Fogarty (Pacifica, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) picked up his second win on the season, going 5.1 innings. He allowed eight hits and struck out three. Bret Handy (2-3) picks up the loss for the Lutes.
Loggers on Sunday
In the final two games of the season, the Puget Sound Loggers and Pacific Lutheran Lutes split the series 9-8, off a Gregorio Beck walk-off home run, and 5-11 in a Northwest Conference match on Sunday.
The Lutes (24-14-2, 21-11 NWC) again opened the game with a pair of runs. However, that lead would quickly diminished in the bottom of the frame as Shaun Kiriu (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) ripped an RBI single into center and Sean Bayha (Arlington, Wash.) followed suit with a two-RBI single to left. They plated Doug Cox (Kailua, Hawaii/Kalaheo), Michael Olsen (Niwot, Colo), and Gregorio Beck (Chico, Calif.) who reached on a fielder’s choice and two walks, respectively.
As the Loggers saw Saturday, Lutes would fire back in the third, plating three runs to take a 5-3 lead. The Loggers would rally again to take an 8-5 lead following a six Logger hits, capped by Joe Newland’s (Tulalip, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck) two-RBI double to the right field fence.
Ryan Gustafson (Bellevue, Wash./Sammamish) came in to close out the game in the fifth inning. He allowed a run in the fifth and then in the top of the seventh, Matt Akridge would hit a two-RBI single, tying the game at eight. It appeared we were going to play an extra frame until Beck stepped to the plate and blasted a walk-off home run just over the left field fence, winning the game for the Loggers 9-8.
Gustafson would pick up the win, improving to 6-2. In three inning of work, he allowed three runs and struck out one. Lute pitcher Jeremy Ellison drew the loss.
Senior Kiriu would pitch the final game of the season. As the skies opened up, the game was a defensive battle. Only the Lutes would plate a run in the first four innings. In the fifth, Pacific Lutheran tacked on four runs. The Loggers would answer beginning with a leadoff homerun by Kiriu. Small ball plated Jason Powell (Redwood City, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) later in the inning off a RBI single by Dakota Resnik (Bellevue, Wash./Newport).
The Lutes would again put up four in the sixth and the Loggers followed with a two spot. Newland would score Olsen off a double down the left field chalk line. Kiriu would also score off Bayha’s quick feet, legging out a slow-roller to the second baseman. Loggers trailed 9-4 heading into the seventh.
Senior Trevor Pease (Cusick, Wash./Menlo College) would come in late in the seventh to make his final appearance of his career and left to a standing ovation by the crowd. Pacific Lutheran would add two more in the seventh. Travis Hernandez (Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison) would reach base on a double to center and would score via a Beck sac fly, but that would end the scoring and the Loggers season, as the Loggers fell 11-5.
Trey Watt (1-0) picked up his first victory of the season for the Lutes, throwing a complete game, allowing five runs on nine hits. Kiriu (1-2) picked up the loss in 5.1 innings of work.
Statistically Speaking
Having a great year, Michael Olsen ended the season hitting .383. Due to some big numbers put up this weekend in league play, Olsen slid to 10th in hitting percentage. Olsen, however, found himself in second in total bases (103), home runs (14), and RBIs (45). Willamette’s Kyle Stalker, who is second in the nation in home runs (all divisions), is the leader in all three of those categories. Olsen’s homerun output tied him for seventh in NCAA Division III.
Dakota Resnik also landed in the top 12 in hitting percentage with a .374 mark on the season. Sean Kiriu’s 14 doubles placed him tied for third in league play. Ryan Gustafson worked a 3.89 ERA, placing him 10th in the conference. His clutch play late in games earned him five season saves, good enough for second behind Linfield’s Robert Vaughn.
Coach Brian Billings
Brian Billings ended sixth season as skipper of the Loggers. This season, he eclipsed the 100 win plateau. Billings now stands at 106-118-1. He is a 1999 graduate of the University of Puget Sound.
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