t was a rough week for University of Puget Sound baseball, as the Loggers dropped four games in a row. Their pitching was the primary culprit, causing the Loggers to surrender 51 runs during that span for a startling 12.75 runs per game. As a participant in the Northwest Small College Tournament, the Loggers travelled to Portland, Ore. over the weekend for a set of games against other schools throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The team’s first game came against Concordia University on Friday, Feb. 24. The Loggers and senior starting pitcher Taylor Volz (Portland, Ore.) ran into trouble almost from the very beginning. After the Loggers began the game by going three-up, three-down, Volz allowed two runs in the bottom of the first.
However, the Loggers got one of those runs back in the next frame, after third baseman Will Mentor (Seattle, Wash.) tripled and scored on a groundout by Jeff Walton (Carmichael, Calif.). Indeed, the game was still very much in the balance in the third inning. Already trailing 4-1, Volz walked the bases loaded with two outs in the inning, setting the stage for a pivotal at-bat. However, it would have to wait as the rain intensified and it was determined that the game would be postponed until the next day.
Unfortunately, the layoff wreaked havoc on sophomore pitcher Jared Beiser’s (Cupertino, Calif.) arm, as he allowed four straight bases-loaded walks after being tabbed to relieve Volz. It was only after a single and another walk that the third pitcher of the inning—freshman Logan Day (Citrus Heights, Calif.)—was able to strike out the final Concordia batter and end the third inning at last. After the dust had settled, the Loggers trailed 10-1. Despite the almost insurmountable deficit, the Loggers continued to battle, scraping together nine hits and seven walks. In the end however, the Loggers fell to Concordia 17-10.
The Loggers had no time to lick their wounds after their defeat however, since they had another game later that day against Pacific University. Once again, their pitching let them down, as junior starting pitcher Matt Robinson (Lafayette, Calif.) was pulled in the third inning after allowing eight runs on four hits and eight walks. Once again faced with a major deficit early, the Loggers were unable to rally, and allowed the score to get out of hand for the second time that day, losing to Pacific 17-3. The only highlight of the game for the Loggers came in the sixth inning, as sophomore catcher Addison Melzer (Portland, Ore.) drilled a solo home run over the fence in right field.
Sunday, Feb. 26 brought a doubleheader against Oregon Tech, and another chance to get back on track. The Loggers desperately needed a strong start from junior pitcher Nathan Aguiar (Los Gatos, Calif.), and for the first four innings of Sunday’s game, he delivered. Aguiar was able to scatter three hits across the first four innings and give the Loggers a chance to take a 2-0 lead over Oregon Tech.
It all fell apart in the fifth inning however, as Aguiar allowed a bases-loaded triple that put Oregon Tech in front for good. Aguiar was also hurt by shoddy defense behind him, as the Loggers committed five errors during the game. In the end, the result was a 7-2 defeat in the first game of the doubleheader.
Looking to end the Northwest Small College Tournament on a high note, the Loggers took an early lead in the first inning of the second game against Oregon Tech, courtesy of an RBI single by Mentor. It was not to be however, as Oregon Tech scored two in the third, two in the fourth and six in a disastrous sixth inning en route to a 10-1 drubbing of the Loggers.
While this was a rough way to head into conference play, the Loggers at least know what they have to improve upon. Their pitching and defense both struggled mightily in the tournament, putting the offense in a very difficult position in every game they played. If the pitchers can limit their walks, and the defense is able to cut down on the errors, the offense has shown that it can get on base, with a collective on base percentage of .346 in their first ten games.
The Loggers begin conference with a three-game set at rival Whitman on Saturday, Mar. 3.
PHOTO COURTESY/DAVID PENDLETON
