Willamette to Conclude Season with Three-Game Series at Pacific

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

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University baseball team will complete the 2015 season with a three non-conference games this weekend at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The team will play a doubleheader on Saturday, May 2 at 12 p.m. (PDT), followed by a single game on Sunday, May 3 at 12 p.m.

Willamette is 20-16 on the season. Pacific enters the weekend with a 19-18 record. WU has clinched a winning overall record and will finish with at least 20 wins for the fifth time in the last seven years.

Leading the Bearcats on offense is Tiras Koon (Sr., 1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) with a .380 batting average (56 of 121). He ranks first in the Northwest Conference with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. He tops Willamette's offensive chart with 31 runs scored and 21 walks. He owns a .744 slugging percentage and a .483 on-base percentage.

Also hitting above .300 for the season are Hunter Gallant (Sr., 3B, Rescue, CA/Ponderosa HS) and Troy Conway (Fr., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS). Gallant owns a .346 batting average (47 of 136) with 28 runs, 24 RBIs and 13 doubles. Conway is batting .310 on the season (27 of 87) and has scored 17 runs. He is 6 for 6 on stolen bases.

Mason Fessler (Fr., INF, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) is hitting .295 for the Bearcats with seven doubles and 16 RBIs. Rolenn Himuro (Sr., CF, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) follows with a .293 average to go along with 25 runs, seven doubles and 15 RBIs. Himuro has contributed a team-high 10 sacrifice bunts.

The WU pitching staff is led by freshman Connor Loar (RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) with a 3.99 earned run average and a 4-3 record in 11 appearances. He has struck out 38 batters in 58 2/3 innings pitched. Jackson Watt (Jr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) is 4-4 on the season with a 4.15 ERA and a team-leading 59 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings.

Peter Hoffman (Sr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) is 4-3, owns a 4.16 ERA and has thrown 62 2/3 innings. He has accumulated 54 strikeouts on the season.

Among relief pitchers for Willamette, Lucas Still (Fr., RHP, Sacramento, CA/Christian Brothers HS) has a 2.19 ERA to go with a 2-1 record and two saves. Andrew Koumelis (Jr., LHP, Roseville, CA/Jesuit HS/Sacramento City College) is 2-2 on the season with a team-high three saves. Koumelis has a 2.95 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings.

Shea Harrison (Jr., RHP/OF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) owns a 2.57 ERA and has achieved one save. Eland Tsubata (Sr., LHP, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) has a 2.60 ERA, while Gordie Clary (Jr., RF/RHP, Vacaville, CA/Vacaville HS) has a 2.61 ERA, a 2-0 record and one save.

When the Bearcats and the Boxers met in NWC action, Pacific won all three games at John Lewis Field in Salem, Oregn. The Boxers took the first game 11-8 on April 3, before winning 8-1 and 8-4 on April 4. Including those three games, Pacific has gone 10-2 in its last 12 games and is 17-6 in its last 23 contests.

Tanner Mansell (Jr. OF) is hitting .325 (25 of 77) for the Boxers with 16 runs scored. Donnie Bradley (Sr., IF/OF) has provided a .318 average (42 of 132), while scoring 22 runs and earning 17 RBIs. Walker Olis (Jr., OF) is batting .315 (41 of 130) and has scored 23 times. Olis leads the Boxers with 11 doubles, four home runs and 24 RBIs.

Other top hitters for Pacific include John Keithly (So., IF), Ben Duerr (JR. OF) and Nathan Suyematsu (Jr., IF/RHP). Keithly has contributed a .301 batting average along with 10 runs and 11 RBIs. Duerr is batting .299, leads the team with 24 runs scored and has driven in 20 runs. Suyematsu's average i .275 with 18 runs and 14 RBIs.

Kyle Treadway (Sr., RHP) is 5-5 on the season with a 3.27 ERA for the Pacific pitching staff. He has struck out 40 batters in 77 innings. Joey Angyus (Fr., RhP) has attained a 1.50 ERA with a 2-1 record in 36 innings. Suyematsu is 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.

Tyler Kotchik (So., LHP), who recorded the win in the third game with Willamette in early April, is 2-1 on the season and has registered nine saves. He has a 3.66 ERA in 32 innings and has limited opponents to a .244 batting average.