Bearcats to Battle Wildcats in Northwest Conference action this Weekend

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University and Linfield College will renew their baseball rivalry this weekend in a three-game Northwest Conference series in McMinnville, Oregon. The Bearcats and the Wildcats will play two games on Saturday, March 28 with first pitch set for 12 p.m. (PDT). The teams will play one game on Sunday, March 29 starting at 12 p.m.

The Bearcats are 16-5 on the season and lead the NWC with a 9-4 record. Pacific Lutheran University (10-5) and Whitworth University (8-4) are tied for second place. University of Puget Sound is fourth at 8-5, while George Fox University is fifth at 7-5 and Linfield is sixth at 6-6. The top four teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the first ever NWC Tournament.

Linfield is 16-8 overall. The Wildcats are ranked 24th in the D3baseball.com Top 25.

Last weekend, Willamette swept a series against Lewis & Clark at John Lewis Field. The Bearcats prevailed in both games of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21, winning 8-2 and 9-0. WU completed the sweep with a 14-3 triumph on Sunday, March 22. Willamette dropped a non-conference game to Corban University, 7-2, on Tuesday, March 24.

For the season, Tiras Koon (Sr., 1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) is Willamette's top hitter with a .375 average and a team-high four home runs. He is tied for the team lead with 17 runs and ranks second with 19 RBIs. He has received a walk 14 times.

Freshman second baseman Troy Conway (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS) ranks second on the team with a .355 batting average. He hit .571 (8 for 14) against Lewis & Clark to earn NWC Baseball Position Student-Athlete of the Week honors. He enters this weekend's series with 15 runs scored. He has been successful on 6 of 6 stolen base attempts.

Four other Bearcats are hitting above .300 with at least one at bat per game. They are Rolenn Himuro (Sr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), Mason Fessler (Fr., INF, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School), Hunter Gallant (Sr., 3B/SS, Rescue, CA/Ponderosa HS) and Brad Breier (Sr., C, Torrance, CA/South HS).

Himuro is hitting .323 with 16 runs, 11 RBIs and 10 walks. Fessler is batting .317, including .545 (6 of 11) in the past week. Gallant owns a .316 average, leads the team with 21 RBIs, and is tied for the lead with 17 runs. Breier's batting average is .308. He has scored 11 times, while earning 11 RBIs.

Gordie Clary (Jr., UT, Vacaville, CA/Vacaville HS) ranks first on the team with six doubles. Himuro and Gallant have pounded out five doubles apiece. Himuro is tied for first on the team with five sacrifice bunts, while Gallant has recorded three sacrifice flies.

Willamette's pitchers have registered a 3.13 team earned run average that ranks second in the NWC. Peter Hoffman (Sr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) owns a 1.50 ERA with a 3-0 record. He has recorded 28 strikeouts in 36 innings. Connor Loar (Fr., RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) is 4-1 with a 2.83 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 35 innings.

Jackson Watt (Jr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) has a 3.30 ERA to go along with a 3-2 record. He ranks second in the NWC with 42 strikeouts and has pitched 46 1/3 innings.

Andrew Koumelis (Jr., LHP, Roseville, CA/Jesuit HS/Sacramento City College) is 2-0 with two saves as a reliever for the Bearcats. He has a 1.23 ERA and has struck out nine batters in 14 2/3 innings.

Linfield's pitching staff has a 3.15 team ERA that ranks third in the NWC, just .02 behind the Bearcats. Chris Haddeland (Sr., RHP) has a 1.65 ERA and a 4-1 record for the Wildcats. He has 35 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Aaron Thomassen (Sr., RhP) is 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA, and has earned 36 strikeouts and allowed 12 walks in 41 innings.

Riley Newman (So., RHP) holds a solid 2.00 ERA with a 3-1 record in seven starts. Justin Davis (Sr., RHP) also provides a 3-1 record to go with a 4.33 ERA. Cody Walker (Jr., RHP) leads the team with nine relief appearances. He is 0-1 with two saves and a 2.25 ERA.

Alex Hendra-Brown (Fr., INF) has played in just eight games, but leads the team with a .353 batting average. He saw action in all three games last weekend, as Linfield went 2-1 at Pacific. Eric Lawson (Jr., INF) is batting .347 with 24 runs, 11 doubles and 20 RBIs. Corey VanDomelan (Sr., INF) owns a .343 average, and has contributed 24 runs and 16 RBIs.

Also for Linfield, Jo Carroll (Sr., OF) is hitting .327 and Scott Schepige (So., 1B/OF) is batting .326. Caroll leads the Wildcats with three home runs, while scoring 17 times and earning 21 RBIs.