Logs/Pios Slug to Doubleheader Split
By: Jermaine Williams (Puget Sound Athletics)
TACOMA, Wash. - Saturday's Puget Sound/Lewis & Clark doubleheader was a slugfest, tallying 48 hits between the two squads. The Loggers took the first game 15-4 while Lewis & Clark won the second 12-10 in a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Logger Field.
The Loggers (7-14/4-9 NWC) opened the first game up in the second inning with four runs off four singles, capped with Travis Hernandez's (Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison)) shot to left field, driving in two. The Pioneers (5-17/5-12 NWC) would tack on one before the Loggers would put four more on the board in the fifth inning on eight hits. Matt Cox (Salem, Ore./South Salem) nailed a double to right setting up the Loggers big inning. Following a RBI single and RBI sacrifice fly, Dakota Resnik (Bellevue, Wash./Newport) brought in two more with double to the centerfield fence.
Puget Sound would score one more time with a seven-run sixth inning. Matt Cox and David Thirlby (Seattle, Wash./O'Dea) would both hit doubles before Gregg Ringold (Los Altos Hills, Calif./Harker School) would hit his second homerun of the season. The Loggers continued to play strong baseball, winning the first game 15-4.
Tim Fogarty (Pacifica, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral) pitched 8.0 innings in a winning effort. Forgarty, now 3-1, allowed three runs, four hits, and struck out four in game one. Alex St. Pierre drew the loss for the Pioneers. St. Pierre threw 5.0 innings, allowing eight runs and eight hits.
In the second game of the bout, Lewis & Clark took an 9-1 lead before the Loggers could really began doing some work. Doug Cox (Kailua, Hawaii/Kalaheo) hit a double to begin the sixth inning. Both Resnik and Hernandez would hit singles into the field to score runs, cutting Pio margin to 9-4.
Lewis & Clark would regain all three of those runs, aided by a seventh inning Jordan Wlodarczyk's two-run homerun. The Logger faithful would don the rally caps in the final three innings, as Loggers would have the bases loaded in each of the last three innings.
In the seventh, the first two Loggers grounded out. Thirlby would draw the walk while Andrew Grady (Cave Creek, Ariz./Phoenix Country Day) and Ringold both were hit by pitcher Roland Greene. However, Resnik would fly out, ending the seventh.
In the eight, again, the first two Loggers grounded and flew out. The bases would be load via a pair of singles and walk. Thirlby would follow with a three-run double off the right field fence, making the score 12-7.
Andrew Koppel (Makawao, Hawaii/Seabury Hall) came in to pitch the ninth and had a flawless inning, hurling nine of ten strikes and retiring the side. Ringold laced a single to the shortstop while the next two batters hit by Pio pitcher Sami Morgan. With the bases loaded, Will Mentor hit a two-run double to left field, and then advanced to third base via a fielding error by the left fielder, allowing another Logger to score. That would end the rally and contest as the Loggers fell 12-10.
Adam Rager was the winning pitcher, going 5.2 innings. James Lane (Silverdale, Wash./Avila College) drew the lost for the Loggers, going 1.2 innings and allowing three runs.
These two teams will clash again tomorrow in two-seven innings games beginning at noon at Logger Field.
