By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University has qualified for the 2021 Northwest Conference Baseball Tournament, set for Thursday, May 13 through Saturday, May 15 at Chuck Bafaro Stadium on the Pacific University campus, in Forest Grove, Oregon. Willamette, seeded #3, will take on Pacific Lutheran University, seeded #2, in the first round on Thursday at 3 p.m. (PDT).

The NWC Tournament will feature four teams. Pacific, which won the NWC regular season title, is the #1 seed. The Boxers are 28-12 overall, 23-9 (.719) in the NWC. Pacific Lutheran is 25-15 overall, 21-10 (.677) in the NWC. Willamette enters the tournament at 27-13 overall, 21-11 (.656) in the NWC. Whitman College is seeded #4 with a 20-20- overall record, including 17-15 (.531) in the NWC. Seedings were based on winning percentage in conference games.

Action will get underway with Pacific taking on Whitman at 12 p.m. (PDT) on Thursday. The Willamette versus Pacific Lutheran match-up will follow shortly after the game between the Boxers and the Blues. The tournament will continue with three games on Friday, and one or two games on Saturday. The winner of the NWC Tournament will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.

"It's been a great year. We are excited to be playing postseason baseball," Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick said. "I'm really proud of the perseverance of this team and all the obstacles they overcame to get to this point."

The Bearcats hit .323 during the regular season and achieved a .330 batting average against NWC opponents. Samuel Daly (So., RF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) leads Willamette with a .400 batting average to go along with 13 doubles, a team-high three triples, and 12 home runs. Daly ranks second on the team with 47 RBIs. Sean Little (Sr., INF, Corvallis, OR/Crescent Valley HS) is batting .388 with a team-leading 14 doubles. He ranks second for the Bearcats with 41 runs scored. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (So., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) owns a .386 batting average and ranks first on the team with 45 runs scored. Werkmeister-Martin has connected for 12 doubles and nine homers.

Also batting over .300 are Jeff Hoffman (Fy., 3B, Salida, CA/Joseph A. Grigori HS) and Layton Wagner (So., INF/RHP, Boise, ID/Timberline HS). Hoffman is hitting .339 for the season and leads the squad with 14 home runs. Wagner's batting average is .303.

Michael Nelsen (Sr., C, Folsom, CA/Vista Del Lago HS) leads WU with 48 RBIs and has hit 13 home runs. Ethan Fischel (Jr., SS, Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) has added 10 home runs, while Joey Faudskar (Grad., OF, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle HS) has been successful on 11 of 15 stolen base attempts.

Wagner tops the starters on the pitching staff with a 2.41 earned run average and a 7-1 record. He has accumulated 61 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings, while limiting opponents to a .228 batting average. Justin Miller (Sr./Jr., RHP, Poway, CA/Poway HS/Palomar CC) has a 5.23 ERA and is 4-1 on the season with 42 strikeouts in 62 innings.

Relief pitcher Brady Joyner (Fy., RHP/OF, Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge HS) has achieved a 4-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. Joyner has held opponents to a .147 batting average. JD Willis (Fy., Chandler, AZ/Perry HS) is 3-0 this spring and has a 4.05 ERA. Willis has struck out 22 batters in 26 2/3 innings.

"Coach Mikey Nantze and Coach Connor Bailey have done an amazing job all season," Swick commented. "We wouldn't be in this position if not for their hard work and dedication."

It is Willamette's third NWC Tournament appearance since 2017. The Bearcats reached the NWC Tournament championship game in 2017 and won the NWC Tournament in 2018. Also in 2018, Willamette competed at the NCAA Division III West Regional. WU advanced to the regional final before falling to Texas Lutheran University.

2021 NWC Baseball Tournament Schedule

Thursday, May 13
Game 1 - 12 p.m., #1 Pacific vs. #4 Whitman
Game 2 – 3 p.m., #2 Pacific Lutheran vs. #3 Willamette

Friday, May 14
Game 3 – 10 a.m., Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 (Elimination Game)
Game 4 – 1 p.m., Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Game 5 – 4 p.m., Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 (Elimination Game)

Saturday, May 15
Game 6 – 12 p.m., Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 7 (if necessary) – 3 p.m.