TACOMA, Washington – The Puget Sound softball team is hitting its stride as the Loggers travel to eastern Washington for a Northwest Conference series at Whitworth, March 19-20.
 
See ball, hit ball
The Loggers are hitting .236 as a team this season, but they have stepped it up against conference foes. In 10 NWC games, Puget Sound is hitting .284 with five home runs and 20 doubles.
 
Circle up
Similarly to their hitting, Puget Sound's pitching has improved in conference games. The pitching staff has a 4.28 ERA against NWC opponents – compared to a 4.69 ERA for the season overall.
 
There goes Sully
Kelsie Sullivan was named the Logger of the Week for her complete game shutout to beat Lewis & Clark (March 13). She allowed only three hits through seven innings, lowering her season ERA to 3.36.
 
(Not so) Secret to their success
To put it simply, when the Loggers hit, they win. Puget Sound is 4-0 when they total at least 10 hits in a game.
 
Moore clutch
Jessica Moore hit a walk-off single to beat Lewis & Clark, 3-2, on Logger Field (March 12). Mikayla Newman began the bottom of the seventh inning by reaching base on an error, and she moved to third base on a single by Kelsie Sullivan. Moore followed with the game-winning base hit to left field.
 
Hello, Newman
Mikayla Newman hit her third home run of the season against Lewis & Clark (March 13). In the series against the Pioneers, she went 5-for-14 at the plate. Newman is hitting .289 overall and leads the team in extra-base hits (7).
 
Scouting Whitworth (11-9, 1-7 NWC)
The Pirates are coming off a weekend in which they were swept by Linfield in Oregon. Whitworth's lone conference win is against Pacific Lutheran. The Pirates are hitting .258 overall, but .236 in conference games. Maddy Thomas has seven home runs this season, and she is hitting .294 with 23 RBI. Mom Lyman has a 3.11 ERA and a 5-1 record through eight starts. The Pirates have an overall ERA of 4.18, but that mark increases to 5.73 in conference games.