WHITTIER, California – Mikayla Newman hit her fifth-career home run with the Loggers, but the Puget Sound softball team began its 2022 season with two losses at Whittier Friday.
 
Puget Sound 2, Whittier 3
After hitting four homers last year, Newman waited until her second game of 2022 to go long. Her solo home run in the third inning tied the game, 1-1.
 
Whittier held a 3-1 lead heading into the third, but the Logger bats stayed ready. Hana DeGuzman led off the top of the sixth with a single, and Hailee Ueyama reached base on an error. Both runners advanced on a groundout by Sullivan, and DeGuzman scored a wild pitch to bring the Loggers to within a run.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, still down a run, Maria Ortiz drew a one-out walk. After the Loggers' second out, Newman smacked a single to put two runners on. However, neither crossed home plate to tie the game.
 
Savanna Smith threw a complete game for the Loggers, striking out five while allowing just two earned runs.
 
Puget Sound 1, Whittier 6
The Loggers committed three errors, and the Poets scored three times in the first inning, as Puget Sound dropped its season-opener, 6-1, Friday afternoon.
 
Hana DeGuzman, Hailee Ueyama, Kendall Gantz, and Lauren Rice each came up with a hit in the first game.
 
Puget Sound scored its lone run in the fifth inning. Jessica Moore led off with a walk, and Gantz followed with a single through the left side. Later in the inning, Rice beat out an infield single and DeGuzman followed with a single of her own to score Natalie Wilson.
 
The Loggers have two games at Redlands Saturday, Feb. 12, starting at 11 a.m.