By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University senior catcher Jack Brett (Aurora, CO/Regis Jesuit HS) has been named Northwest Conference Baseball Position Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts in the Bearcats' three-game series against University of Puget Sound on Sunday, April 8 and Monday, April 9. Willamette took all three games, earning an 8-2 victory on Sunday followed by wins of 10-2 and 8-6 in a doubleheader on Monday. Willamette advanced its record to 20-14 on the season, includng 12-9 in the NWC.
Brett hit .538 (7 of 13) in the three games with two doubles and two home runs. He led the Bearcats with eight RBIs and scored five runs. He achieved a 1.154 slugging percentage. In each game, Brett scored at least two runs and had at least one hit and two RBIs.
He belted a three-run double in the eighth inning of the first game. In the third game, Puget Sound held an early lead of 6-0, and the Loggers were in front 6-1 entering the fifth inning. Brett belted a two-run homer to help Willamette score six runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-6 lead. WU added an insurance run in the seventh inning.
"Jack has been hitting really well in the second half of the season," said Willamete Head Coach Aaron Swick. "His performance against Puget Sound was a big part of our offense."
For the season, Brett leads the Bearcats with a .351 batting average and is tied for the team lead with eight doubles. His six home runs rank second on the team and are tied for fifth in the Northwest Conference. He has recorded 33 hits, 15 runs and 18 RBIs this year. He is second on the team with 121 putouts and owns an exceptional .993 fielding percentage.
Willamette is tied with Whitman College (12-9) for third place in the NWC standings. The Bearcats and the Blues are one game behind Linfield College, which holds second place at 13-8. Pacific Lutheran University leads the NWC with an 18-6 record and has completed its conference schedule. The top four teams in the final regular season standings will qualify for the NWC Tournament, which will be hosted by PLU from April 20-22.
The Bearcats will complete their regular season NWC schedule this weekend with a three-game series at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Willamette and L&C will play two games on Saturday, April 14, starting at 12 p.m. (PDT). The teams will play one game on Sunday, April 15, also starting at 12 p.m.