FOREST GROVE, Oregon – The Puget Sound baseball team completed its three-game sweep at Pacific with a 9-4 victory on Sunday afternoon. The Loggers posted four runs in the eighth inning to secure the win and improve to 9-7 (7-2 NWC) on the season.

Logger starting pitcher Merle Rowan-Kennedy earned his third win of the season after allowing just three hits and an unearned run with five strikeouts through six innings.

Puget Sound held a 5-4 edge when Alex Sierra (3-for-4, 2 R) led off the eighth inning with a single up the middle and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Cal Muramaru (2-for-3, SB) struck out and Connor Savage (1-for-4, RBI) was intentionally walked. Nickolas Alarcio (2-for-6, 3 R) followed by reaching on a fielder's choice that got Savage out at second but put runners on the corners for Chris Zerio (1-for-3, 2 R).

Zerio was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and then Nathan Backes (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI) and Layne Croney (1-for-3, RBI) were hit by pitches in consecutive at-bats to improve the lead to 7-4. Bobby Hosmer's (2-for-4, 3 RBI) single to right-center field allowed both Backes and Zerio to score and cap off the four-run rally.

The Loggers grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a Boxer (2-11, 1-8 NWC) error and an RBI single from Savage and a run-scoring double by Backes. Pacific got a run back in the bottom of the stanza, but Puget Sound plated two more in the seventh thanks RBI singles by Backes and Hosmer, giving the Loggers a 5-1 edge. 

The Boxers cut it close with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Puget Sound put the game away in the eighth.

The Loggers outhit the Boxers, 15-7, and both sides committed two errors. 

The Loggers return home on Saturday, March 14, to host Willamette for a doubleheader that starts at 12 p.m.