TACOMA, Wash. – The bats exploded for the University of Puget Sound baseball team as it split a twinbill with Whitworth on Saturday. The Loggers (1-2) took the first game 10-3 while Whitworth (3-3) edged the Loggers 11-10 in extra innings in the nightcap.

Game 1 – 10-3

After a first inning home run from the bat of Landon Scott, the Logger took over offensively and Matt Robinson cruised on the mound to a 10-3 victory. Robinson started the 2011 campaign right where he left off in 2010 with a complete game victory. He struck out nine batters while walking only one and allowing three runs.

The Pirates touched Robinson for a pair of home runs with Kevin Valerio going deep in the eighth. Valerio also picked up the Pirates third RBI with a double in the fifth. However, Robinson did not allow any other runners to advance past second base.

At the plate, the Loggers stayed in the yard on a windy day but strung together a number of rallies to flash 10 runs on the board. Dakota Resnik Casey Coberly and Chaz Kramer each collected a pair of RBI while Coberly and Kramer each tallied three hits.

As a team the Loggers pounded out 16 hits in the first game with seven Loggers having at least two hits.

"We hit the ball well today, but it was great to see Matt Robinson with a complete game," said head coach Brian Billings. "He was in complete command on the mound and had all his pitches working."

The Loggers found themselves in an early 1-0 hole but scored three runs in the first and two more in the third to build a 5-1 lead. Three more runs in the bottom of the fourth gave the Loggers more separation as they built an 8-1 lead with eight unanswered runs.

Game 2 – 10-11 (8 inns.)

The nightcap quickly turned into a seesaw slugfest as both teams turned up the heat offensively. Both teams traded big blows and needed an extra inning before one could get the edge. The Pirates used a three-run seventh to force the extra frame and struck again in the eighth to steal the nightcap 11-10.

Despite the loss, the Loggers put up some impressive numbers, including their first two homers of the year and eight stolen bases as a team. Resnik and Matt Cox each had three stolen bases to lead the Loggers.

Cox also had a huge night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with five RBI. He was a triple short of the cycle. Tyler Pfeffer match Cox's performance for Whitworth with five RBI, including the game-tying double with two outs in the top of the seventh.

Both teams scored three runs in the first inning to set up a slugfest evening. Cox hit the Loggers first round-tripper of the year to tie up the game at 3-3 with one swing. The Pirates scratched out another run in the second while the Loggers continued to pour it on with three more in the second.

Resnik doubled as part of the Loggers second inning rally to become the all-time doubles leader in Logger history.

The Pirates responded with three runs in the third to reclaim the lead but Coberly smashed a solo homer to tie the game at 7-7 after three innings. The Logger set up a picket fence with one run in each of the next three innings.

After the Pirates tied it up at 10-10 in the seventh the Loggers were held silent for the first time in the game. Valerio hit a chopper toward third base with the bases loaded to tie the game. Will Mentor made a diving stop to throw out Valerio but a run crossed the plate.

In the bottom half, the Loggers loaded the bases with two outs after the Bucs intentionally walked Coberly. Chaz Kramer then sent a screaming liner into left field, but it fell into the glove of Nick Ashley for the game's final out.

"I was proud of the way we fought back," added Billings. "Chaz hit the ball really hard at the end of the game. But that's baseball and that's the way it goes sometimes. We'll put it behind us and be out here again tomorrow."

The Loggers and Pirates square off again tomorrow with the first game starting at 11 a.m.