Puget Sound Defeats Willamette in Both Games of Doubleheader

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

TACOMA, WASH. -- Playing at home on Logger Field, the University of Puget Sound won both games of a doubleheader against Willamette University on Sunday, April 27, taking an 18-3 victory in the first game and a 9-5 triumph in the second game. The nightcap ended in the middle of the eighth inning due to darkness.

Puget Sound swept the three-game Northwest Conference series. The Loggers, who have won nine games in a row, improved to 16-17 overall. UPS still has three non-conference games remaining on its schedule. Willamette ended its season at 22-17.

Willamette and Puget Sound tied for fourth place in the final NWC standings at 14-10. Linfield College won the title at 19-2, while Pacific Lutheran University took second at 16-8, and George Fox University was third at 15-9.

The Loggers tallied three runs -- one earned -- in the first inning of the opener. Lucas Stone singled and went to second when Connor Savage hit into an error. Stone scored on a double by Chris Zerio. Savage came home on a sacrifice fly by Nathan Backes. Nick Funyak drove in Zerio with a single.

Willamette countered with a run in the top of the second. Ty Wyatt (Fr., DH/INF, Keizer, OR/McNary HS) doubled down the right field line. The next two batters flied out, but Rolenn Himuro (Jr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) hit a single to center field to drive in Wyatt.

In the bottom of the second, UPS pushed across five runs on five hits and one error to take an 8-1 lead. All five hits were singles, including a pair of infield hits to open the inning. Jeff Walton and Addison Metzer each drove home one run with a single. Funyak provided a sacrifice fly.

Puget Sound tacked on one run in the fifth and extended the lead to 14-1 by scoring five times in the sixth.

The Bearcats plated a run in the eighth, but left three runners on base. Devin Bales (Jr., 3B/OF, Graham, WA/Graham-Kapowsin HS/Grays Harbor College), who walked with one out, eventually scored on a single by Ian Smith (Fr., C, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS).

Willamette scored the final run in the ninth. With one out, Andrew Wilson (Jr., OF, Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay HS) walked. He moved to second when Bales hit a single with two outs. Wilson scored when Tommy Kawamura (Sr., SS/2B, Renton, WA/Lindbergh HS) singled down the left field line.

UPS pitcher Collin Maier (4-3) went seven innings to get the win. He allowed four hits, struck out four batters and had no walks. WU starter Peter Hoffman (Jr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) pitched five innings and fell to 4-4.

Stone finished 3 for 5 with two runs for UPS. Funyak was 3 for 3 with a run and two RBIs. Kakugawa went 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs. For WU, Kawamura was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Sixth Bearcats each recorded one hit.

The Bearcats scored twice with two outs in the first inning of the second game. Tosh Semlacher (Sr., CF, Gold River, CA/Jesuit HS) singled up the middle and Wyatt walked. Tiras Koon (Jr., C/1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) singled near the left field line to bring Semlacher across the plate. Wyatt scored on a wild pitch.

Puget Sound tied the score by earning one run in each of the first two innings. In the first, Nickolas Alarcio singled, stole second and third, and scored on an infield hit by Zerio. In the second, Melzer singled and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Kakugawa.

Backes hit a three-run homer for the Loggers in the bottom of the third.

Willamette cut the margin to 5-4 with two runs on four hits in the fifth. Kawamura singled and Himuro walked. With one out, Wyatt hit an RBI single through the right side and Koon sent an RBI single to left. Shea Harrison (So., 2B/RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) also singled, but consecutive outs ended the inning with the bases loaded.

UPS scored three runs in its half of the fifth inning. Funyak contributed a two-run double, while Christian Carter drove in one run on a fielder's choice.

The Loggers added a run in the seventh and WU scored once in the eighth before the game ended.

Melzer scored for UPS after reaching base on an error. Willamette's run was scored by Kawamura. He doubled toward the right field line and scored on a single by Wyatt.

Funyak was 3 for 3 with two RBIs. Zerio, Walton, Backes and Melzer each provided UPS with two hits. The Loggers outhit the Bearcats, 14-10.

Willamette was led by Wyatt, who went 3 for 4 with a run and two RBIs. Kawamura was 2 for 4 and scored twice. Harrison also went 2 for 4, while Koon was 2 for 5 with two RBIs.

Stone evened his record at 4-4 with the win. He threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up four runs. Matt Jepsen (Fr., LHP, Fallbrook, CA/Fallbrook HS) dropped to 6-4 for the Bearcats. He pitched four innings and allowed six runs.