TACOMA, Wash. -- The Loggers delivered a pair of thrilling victories over Willamette University on Saturday, securing a doubleheader sweep at the Lumber Yard. With these wins, the Loggers improved their season record to 19-12 and bolstered their standing in the Northwest Conference.?

In the opener, Puget Sound showcased resilience, overcoming multiple deficits to claim a 7-6 victory. After falling behind 1-0 in the third inning, the Loggers took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, thanks to a two-RBI single by Jim O'Brien. Willamette briefly tied the game in the fifth, but Makana Murashige's RBI single put the Loggers back on top. The Bearcats surged ahead 4-3 in the sixth, only for Puget Sound to rally with a three-run bottom half, highlighted by RBI hits from Cody Hirano, Sean Murphy, and Preston Crockett. A solo homer by Kellen Krebs in the seventh proved to be the game-winner. On the mound, Harley Eschliman earned the win, improving to 2-1, while Zach Robman notched his fifth save of the season. The Loggers' offense tallied 11 hits, with key contributions throughout the lineup.

In the third game of the series -- and second of the day -- the Loggers surged to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, powered by a three-run homer from Matt Churchill. O'Brien extended the lead with a solo shot in the fourth. Willamette rallied back in the eighth to tie the game at 4-4, but in the bottom of the ninth, Murashige delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly, scoring Nathan Blocher to secure the 5-4 win. Braden Blackwell earned the victory in relief, improving his record to 2-0. 

With these victories, Puget Sound continues to demonstrate their competitive edge in the conference. With two more conference series, the team will look to maintain their momentum as they aim for a top four seed to land a spot in the post-season.

The Loggers play again on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. against the George Fox Bruins in their final conference matchup of the season.