TACOMA, Washington – The Puget Sound baseball team's 2023 home debut is also its Northwest Conference opener when the Loggers host Whitman for three games, Feb. 18-19.
 
Hot start
The Loggers (6-1) began the season with six consecutive wins before losing at Redlands, 5-3 (Feb. 12). The 6-0 record was the best start to any Puget Sound season in at least 14 years.
 
On the brink of history
Dylan Joyce is just one long ball away from 30 career home runs – which would make him Puget Sound's lone all-time home run king. He is currently tied with Mark Rockey '10 for the most home runs in school history. Joyce also has 102 career RBI – he is 19 RBI away from becoming the Loggers' all-time leader in that category. Michael Olson '08 holds the record with 120. Joyce is the sixth Logger in history to reach 100 RBI.
 
Let's be frank
Sophomore Davis Franklin is a stud. The sophomore southpaw was named the Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Week after his gem at Caltech (Feb. 11). Franklin allowed just one earned run through 7.0 innings and matched his career-high in strikeouts with 10 to improve to 2-0 on the season.
 
Having a grand time
Makana Murashige has two home runs this season, and both of them are grand slams. He did it in the season-opener at Whittier (Feb. 3), and a week later he hit a grand slam at Caltech (Feb. 11). Murashige is the only NWC players with 2+ home runs and 3+ steals so far this season. His six steals rank third in the conference.
 
Chip off the Bloch
Nathan Blocher had two hits in each of Puget Sound three games last week. He is the only NWC player with at least 2+ triples, 2+ doubles, and a home run so far this season.
 
Three-headed monster
Dylan Joyce (.440), Makana Murashige (.469), and Nathan Blocher (.474) are each hitting well over .400 through seven games this season. They account for 42 of the Loggers' 54 runs batted in, and combined they have scored 35 of Puget Sound's 79 runs.
 
Harvey makes a dent
Brett Harvey earned a quality start in his last outing at Caltech (Feb. 11). He allowed just one earned run on three hits through 6.0 innings.
 
Scouting Whitman (5-1, 0-0 NWC)
The Blues' lone loss so far this season is at Occidental, 5-4 (Feb. 12). Whitman had previously beat Oxy twice. The Blues also trounced Whittier, 20-5 (Feb. 10), and won both ends of a doubleheader against Eastern Oregon (Feb. 4). Teague Conder (.615) and Jack Bickerton (.526) are the top two leading hitters in the NWC. Julien Hernandez has a 1.50 ERA (12.0 IP) in two starts.