Box Score TACOMA, Wash. – A quick offensive outburst for the Puget Sound baseball team held up behind a solid pitching performance for a 3-2 Logger win over Willamette in Sunday's season finale.
Eight seniors were celebrated before Sunday's game as they prepared for their last game. The emotions that came along with senior day contributed to a quick start for the Loggers (10-28-1, 6-18 NWC) in the bottom of the first.
The first four Loggers reached base safely and plated the Loggers first run. Senior Casey Coberly, freshman Connor Savage and senior Will Mentor opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Senior Matt Cox was then drilled with a pitch to plate the Loggers first run with just six pitches being tossed in the inning. Johnny Hosmer then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play but Savage was able to score on the play for a 2-0 Logger lead.
After the end of the first, both starting pitchers took center stage. Loggers' starter Lucas Stone ended his sophomore season with another solid pitching performance. He worked his way out of jams in the second and fourth when the Bearcats (14-23, 9-15 NWC) had a runner in scoring position with one out to conserve the Loggers lead.
Meanwhile, Peter Hoffman did not allow another Logger hit after the first inning until the bottom of the seventh. He allowed just three Loggers on base after the first inning to keep the Bearcats in the game. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out six but took the tough loss.
Stone went 6.1 innings and allowed two Bearcat runs on eight hits while fanning a pair to pick up his second win. The Logger bullpen continued the solid mound effort late in the game. Jeff Walton entered in the seventh and retired the next two batters in order as well as the first batter of the eighth before giving way to senior Luke Englert.
Englert allowed one hit and a walk but retired the side in the eighth unscathed to preserve a 3-2 Logger lead. Senior Alex Baugh tossed the ninth, retiring the first two batters he saw before issuing a walk. However, he was able to fan the next batter to end the game and earn his second game of the season.
Despite not getting a hit, the Loggers picked up their third run in the third. Savage drew a one-out walk to spark the rally. He then stole second and took third on a throwing error by the Bearcat catcher. Mentor then grounded out to second but Savage scampered home for a 3-0 Logger lead.
A lead off double from Adam Reid in the fifth turned into the Bearcats first run. Dylan Summers duplicated the feat in the sixth when he led off with a double and promptly was driven home on a single from Hunter Gallant.
Despite putting runners on base in each of the last three frames, the Logger bullpen was able to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard for a season-ending victory.
The Loggers end the 2012 season with the win and in seventh place in the Northwest Conference.
