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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Northwest Conference doubleheader between Willamette University and the University of Puget Sound, originally scheduled for Sunday, March 9 at the WU Softball Field has been moved to Friday, March 7 in an effort to avoid heavy rain forecast for the latter part of the weekend.

On Friday, the Bearcats and the Loggers will begin their doubleheader at the WU Softball Field at 1 p.m. (PST).

Willamette's doubleheader scheduled for this weekend against Pacific Lutheran University will still be played on Saturday, March 8. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. (PST) at the WU Softball Field.

As the action gets underway, the Bearcat Network with provide a Live Video Webcast along with Live Stats for each game.

The Bearcats enter the weekend with a 2-6 overall record, including 1-5 in the NWC. Four of Willamette's losses were to Whitworth University, which currently leads the conference standings at 7-0. The Pirates, who played 10 games before the start of NWC action, are 14-3 overall.

Heather Winslow (Jr., OF, Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS) leads the Bearcats with a .579 batting average with 11 hits in 19 at bats. She has scored a team-high eight runs and is tied for second on the team with six RBIs. Erin Norris (Jr., C/3B, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) is batting .429 and tops the offensive stats with seven RBIs.

Ashley Pender (So., 2B, Reno, NV/North Valley HS) owns a .360 batting average. She has scored seven runs while earning six RBIs.

As in recent seasons, the Willamette attack has been aggressive on the bases. The Bearcats have been successful on 18 of 24 stolen bases, led by Kayla Rieger (Jr., OF, Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS), who is 5 of 7. Winslow and Jenna King (Jr., OF, Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo HS) have stolen four bases each.

Freshman pitcher Jade Smith (Chico, CA/Chico HS) is 2-1 on the season with a 1.88 earned run average. She has struck out 13 batters in 22 1/3 innings pitched.

Puget Sound is 0-5 on the season and 0-5 in the NWC. The Loggers are hitting .274 while their opponents are batting .460.

The top hitter for the Loggers is freshman Rita McCreesh with a .462 batting average (6 of 13). She has scored five runs this season. Kristi Nagamine, also a freshman, is hitting .385 with three runs and four RBIs.

Freshman pitcher Jaci Young has achieved a 2.80 ERA. She has struck out 11 batters in just 10 1/3 innings, but has allowed 21 hits and is 0-2 on the season.

Pacific Lutheran, which will play two games at Linfield College (6-0 in the NWC), heads into the weekend with a 1-8 record, including 0-5 in the NWC.

Key hitters for the Lutes include Thalen Masada, who is connecting for hits at a .571 average (4 of 7), and Kelsey Robinson, who is batting .543 (19 of 35). Masada has played in just four games, but is 5 for 5 on stolen bases. Robinson has started all nine games and has tallied seven runs and eight RBIs.

The PLU pitching staff has a 7.53 ERA. Included in the pitching statistics is a 23-19 loss to Pacific University in eight innings on Feb. 22. The game was tied at 16-16 after seven innings.

Following this weekend's games, the Bearcats are scheduled to play at George Fox University on Saturday, Feb. 15. First pitch in Newberg, Ore., is set for 12 p.m. (PDT).