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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will take on Lewis & Clark College in a three-game Northwest Conference baseball series this weekend at John Lewis Field. The Bearcats are hosting the Pioneers in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21, followed by a single game on Sunday, March 22. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. (PDT) each day.

Earlier this season, Willamette swept a non-conference series from the Pioneers at Wilsonville High School in Wilsonville, Ore. All three games were very competitive, with the Bearcats winning 2-1, 7-5 and 7-6.

The Bearcats are 13-4 on the season and 6-4 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark is 3-16 overall, 2-7 in the NWC.

Willamette own a solid 3.27 team earned run average, with three starting pitchers who have ERA's under 4.0. Peter Hoffman (Sr., RHP, Hayden, ID/Lake City HS) leads the pitching staff with a 1.33 ERA. He is 2-0 on the season with 23 strikeouts and just seven walks in 27.0 innings on the mound.

Jackson Watt (Jr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) owns a 3.12 ERA and a 2-2 record. He tops Willamette with 37 strikeouts and has given up only five walks in a team-high 40 1/3 innings. Connor Loar (Fr., RHP, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) is 3-1 on the season with a 3.54 ERA. He has struck out 17 batters in 28 innings.

As a team, the Bearcats are holding opponents to a .259 batting average. Among relief pitchers, Andrew Koumelis (Jr., LHP, Roseville, CA/Jesuit HS/Sacramento City College) and Lucas Still (Fr., RHP, Sacramento, CA/Christian Brothers HS) each have recorded two saves.

Koumelis also has a 2-0 record to go along with a 0.71 ERA. He has registered nine strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings pitched. Still has a 2.79 ERA in six appearances covering 9 2/3 innings.

On offense, Tiras Koon (Sr., 1B, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) is batting .357 (20 of 56) for the Bearcats with a team-high three home runs to go with four doubles. He owns a .589 slugging percentage and leads WU with a .478 on-base percentage and 11 walks. Koon also ranks first on the team with 155 putouts on defense.

Two other Willamette players are hitting over .300 with Hunter Gallant (Sr., 3B/SS, Rescue, CA/Ponderosa HS) at .323 (21 of 65) and Rolenn Himuro (Sr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) at .304 (17 of 56). Gallant's 21 hits rank first for the Bearcats and he also leads Willamette with five doubles. He has matched Koon with 16 RBIs. Himuro had hit four doubles and has 11 RBIs.

Brad Breier (Sr., C, Torrance, CA/South HS) is batting .296 and Troy Conway (Fr., 2B, Moorpark, CA/Moorpark HS) is hitting .292. Breier has recorded seven RBIs, while Conway has scored 11 runs and is 4 for 4 on stolen bases.

As a team, the Bearcats are hitting .272 with 106 runs and 99 RBIs. Willamette has been successful on 22 of 29 stolen base attempts.

Lewis & Clark has three players with significant at bats who are batting over .300 for the season. Connor Eggleston (Fr., INF) has a .317 average (20 of 63) with 10 RBIs, while EJ Hand is hitting .31 (15 of 48) with five doubles. Bradley Lezak (Jr., SS) is batting .303 (20 of 66) and has scored nine runs.

Carter Bagley (Jr. c) is hitting .313 with just 16 at bats. Michael Kinkenon (Sr., C/DH) leads the Pioneers with 11 runs and 10 RBIs, while hitting .257.

L&C has a .247 team batting average. The Pioneers are 7 of 11 on stolen bases. Their opponents are hitting .322 and are 35 of 48 on stolen bases.

The Pioneers have several starting pitchers who have allowed L&C to stay close against many of its opponents.

John Trupin (Jr., RHP) has a 3.47 ERA in 36 1/3 innings. He has struck out 10 batters. Ryan Strombom (Sr., RHP) has a 4.15 ERA. He leads L&C with 34 strikeouts and 39 innings pitched. Alex Heimbrodt (Sr., LHP) has thrown 27 1/3 innings, while recording a 4.94 ERA with eight strikeouts.

Heimbrodt threw all nine innings in a 5-1 win at Linfield College in the third game of the series on Mar. 8. The Pioneers went 1-2 against Linfield, before being swept by Pacific University last weekend. Stombom pitched the first game against the Wildcats and the second game against Pacific, while Trupin started the second game at Linfield and the first game versus the Boxers.

Reliever Aaron Landecker (Jr., LHP) owns a 3.38 ERA and a 2-1 record in 10 2/3 innings. The Pioneers have a 5.47 team ERA.