TACOMA, Wash. - - The Loggers earned a Saturday split at home, opening the day with a massive 14-2 victory before falling 9-2 in game two.
How It Happened
Game 1
The Loggers jumped on the board early in the bottom of the first. After the Boxers took the 1-0 lead, Kellen Krebs answered back, lining a double to right field to drive in Charlie Deggeller and tie the game at 1-1.
Puget Sound took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ryan Spero and Jim O'Brien both singled to put runners in scoring position, setting up Preston Crockett for a sacrifice fly to center field. Spero scored, giving the Loggers a 2-1 advantage.
While the game was a tight 2-2 contest heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Loggers ignited for a 12-run inning.
The rally began with a flurry of RBI singles from Cooper Allen, Krebs, and Matt Churchill, quickly pushing the lead 5-2. After a pitching change and a bunt single by Spero, putting the pressure on just before the breakthrough. Pinch-hitter Jonah Velasco delivered the blow, clearing the bases with a grand slam to right field to make it 9-2. This was Velasco's first career home run. O'Brien followed shortly after with a solo home run to right.
The hits kept coming as Crockett doubled down the line and Deggeller singled him home. Krebs added another RBI with a sacrifice fly to left. Churchill capped off the incredible inning with a three-run home run to left field, bringing the score to 14-2.
The Loggers finished the game with 12 runs on 9 hits in the seventh inning alone, showing a relentless approach at the plate to secure the series-opening win.
Game 2
The Loggers started the game with the same momentum seen earlier in the day. In the bottom of the first, Krebs provided an immediate spark with a solo home run to left field, putting Puget Sound on the board first.
After the game was leveled in the top of the second, the Loggers regained the advantage in the bottom half. Allen doubled to left to put a runner in scoring position, and Armand Lettiere capitalized with an RBI single to right, giving Puget Sound a 2–1 lead.
The middle innings turned into a defensive battle, but the Loggers found it difficult to manufacture more runs against a strong performance on the mound from Pacific. The Puget Sound defense kept the game within reach through the midway point before the Boxers began to chip away at the lead, eventually pulling ahead by the fifth inning.
The Loggers chance to respond came in the bottom of the sixth. After Churchill and Spero drew consecutive walks and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, Puget Sound had the runs in position. However, the Loggers were unable to drive them in, leaving two stranded.
As the game progressed, the deficit grew. The Loggers' infield turned a sharp double play in the eighth inning to keep the score manageable, but the offense remained quiet throughout the final innings. A three-run inning from the visitors effectively put the game out of reach, resulting in the 9–2 final.
