Willamette and Occidental to Play Three Games at John Lewis Field

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

SALEM, Ore. -- Two teams with similar records will play three games this weekend, as the Willamette University baseball team hosts Occidental College (Calif.) on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 at John Lewis Field. The Bearcats and the Tigers will play one game on Friday at 3 p.m. (PDT), followed by a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.

Willamette enters the three-game non-conference series with an 18-12 overall record. Occidental begins the weekend at 18-11 on the season.

Four Bearcats are hitting over .300 for the season. They are Tiras Koon (Sr., 1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School), Troy Conway (Fr., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS), Gordie Clary (Jr., RF/RHP, Vacaville, CA/Vacaville HS) and Hunter Gallant (Sr., 3B, Rescue, CA/Ponderosa HS).

Koon is batting a team-high .368 (35 of 95) and also leads the Bearcats with 25 runs, 30 RBIs, eight home runs and 19 walks. His eight homers are tied for the NWC's overall lead, but he has belted all of his homers in NWC action, giving him four more than any other conference athlete in league play. On defense, Koon has registered a team-leading 269 putouts at first base.

Conway is hitting .321 (27 of 84). He has scored 17 runs and is 6 for 6 on stolen bases. He has recorded 49 putouts and 51 assists on defense. Clary's batting average is .318 and he has scored 12 runs, while earning 12 RBIs. He has pounded out seven doubles.

Gallant ranks fourth on the team with a .315 batting average. He tops the offensive chart with 108 at bats and eight doubles, while ranking second with 23 runs and 22 RBIs.

Jackson Watt (Jr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) leads Willamette's pitching staff with 50 strikeouts. He has a 3.18 earned run average and has pitched a team-leading 62 1/3 innings. Connor Loar (Fr., RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) owns a 3.44 ERA and has registered 33 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings.

Peter Hoffman (Sr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) holds a 3.67 ERA to go along with 40 strikeouts. He has pitched in 49 innings this spring. Watt is 4-2 on the season, while Loar is 4-3 and Hoffman is 3-2.

Among relief pitchers, Shea Harrison (Jr., RHP/OF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) has the lowest ERA at 2.57, but Lucas Still (Fr., RHP, Sacramento, CA/Christian Brothers HS) is close behind at 2.70. Eland Tsubata (Sr., LHP, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) owns a 2.92 ERA, while Andrew Koumelis (Jr., LHP, Roseville, CA/Jesuit HS/Sacramento City College) follows with a 3.12 ERA.

Koumelis tops Willamette with three saves. Still has contributed two saves and Harrison has supplied one save.

Devon DeRaad (So., OF/RHP) of Occidental leads the Tigers with a .353 batting average (36 of 102). He is tied for the team lead with 25 runs and ranks first with 30 RBIs. He tops the roster with 11 home runs and 11 doubles this spring.

Jonathan Brooks (Sr., 1B) is batting .321 (36 of 112) with 23 runs scored. Charlie Caccamo (Jr., 2B) is hitting .319 (36 of 113) and is tied with DeRaad for first on the team with 25 runs. Jake Chambers (So., 1B/LHP) has achieved a .292 average with 16 runs and 21 RBIs.

Pitchers Riley James (So., RHP) and Nolan Watson (So., RHP) each have started nine games. James has a 3.26 ERA in 60 2/3 innings, while Watson possesses a 3.43 ERA in 60 1/3 innings. Watson leads Occidental with 41 strikeouts. James has struck out opponents a total of 38 times.

Scott Erickson (Jr., RHP/OF) has made 16 appearances in the mound and has recorded a 4-0 record and five saves. He has struck out 16 batters, while allowing 13 walks and hitting six batters in 19 2/3 innings pitched.