TACOMA, Washington – The Puget Sound baseball team has a crucial Northwest Conference series at home when the Loggers host Willamette, March 18-19. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 12 p.m., and Sunday's single game also starts at noon.
 
A piece of the Pios
Puget Sound went to Portland Wednesday this week, where the Loggers split a doubleheader at Lewis & Clark. Puget Sound won the first game, 7-2, and the Pioneers won the second game, 16-3.
 
Joyce belts two more
Dylan Joyce homered in each game at Lewis & Clark Wednesday. Joyce is the only Logger in school history to reach 30 career home runs – he has 35. He has nine homers so far this spring.
 
Huante homers
Gabe Huante hit his first-career Puget Sound home run at Lewis & Clark Wednesday. The middle infielder is putting together a solid season as he carries a .341 batting average into the weekend.
 
The way he Drew it up
Drew Kamihara enters the weekend with a seven-game hitting streak. He is hitting .360 during that stretch, and .314 overall on the season.
 
Hard to hit 'em
Opposing batters are having a hard time figuring out Davis Franklin and Brett Harvey – the Loggers' No. 1 and No. 2 starting pitchers. Opponents are hitting just .226 against Franklin, and .229 against Harvey.
 
Scouting Willamette (11-4, 7-2 NWC)
The Bearcats have conference series wins against Pacific, George Fox, and Pacific Lutheran. Their most recent game was a 19-12 win over the Lutes. Willamete likes to run, and it has 28 stolen bases this season. Clint Walker has nine of those steals. Jeff Hoffman is the only player with multiple home runs (6). The pitching staff carries a 5.25 ERA. Although he has a 4.91 ERA, Layton Wagner has 36 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.