PASCO, Wash. – With one out in the seventh inning, Dakota Resnik singled for the second time in the game and became the Loggers all-time hits leader. Resnik now has 181 career hits as a Logger, surpassing Jeff Halstead (180 hits from 1997-00) for the top spot on the career hits list.
The Loggers ended up winning the game 12-8 in the front end of the doubleheader against Whitworth in Pasco, Wash. The Pirates (6-8, 1-1 NWC) took the second game 5-2 from the Loggers (6-4, 4-1 NWC).
"Dakota is just a really competitive guy. He has a lot of pride in being a Logger and wills himself to be successful," commented head coach Brian Billings. "He is just a blue collar guy that has worked hard for four years and we couldn't be more proud to have him as our all-time hits leader."
Game 1 – W, 12-8
Fueled by an eight-run third inning, the Loggers jumped out to an 11-0 lead and held on for the 12-8 victory. The Pirates fought back into the game with seven runs over the final two frames but couldn't overcome the 11-run deficit.
Chaz Kramer put the Loggers on the board early with a sacrifice fly in the first and Casey Coberly doubled in another run for a quick 2-0 Logger lead. Resnik added to the lead with his first single of the day in the second inning, scoring Christian Carter for a 3-0 lead.
The Loggers broke the game wide open in the third, highlighted by a grand slam from Chaz Kramer. In his second at bat of the inning, Kramer unloaded the bases with his first homer of the year. Before that, Walton and Grady picked up RBI singles while Resnik was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Nick Cherniske drew a bases loaded walk.
Brandon Elendt broke the Bucs silence with an RBI-single in the fifth but the Loggers answered in the seventh when Resnik scored on a passed ball to push the lead to 12-1.
While the Loggers were building their lead, Matt Robinson continued his early season hot streak with another dominant performance. He struck out seven batters while scattering eight hits and allowing four runs, only one of which was earned.
The Bucs took advantage of a pair of Logger errors in the eighth to push three runs across and cut the deficit to 12-4. In the ninth, the Bucs bats started to heat up as Kevin Valerio, Marlowe Peter and Gerhard Mulheims each stroked RBI-singles. However, Cam Duvall shut down the rally as the Loggers moved to a perfect 4-0 in conference.
Game 2 – L, 2-5
The Logger bats weren't quite as hot in the second game, scratching out just two runs in the Loggers first NWC loss of 2011. Valerio put the Bucs on the board in the first when he scored on a double play to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
Coberly tied the game up at 1-1 with an RBI-single in the top of the third, but the Pirates answered with two runs in the bottom half on a Landon Scott homer for a 3-1 lead.
Matt Cox's sacrifice fly in the fifth brought the Loggers back within one run. However, the Bucs answered again with a pair of runs in the fifth and held on for the victory.
CJ Perry went five innings to earn the win on the mound, allowing just four hits and striking out three.
Taylor Volz had another efficient outing in relief, tossing three scoreless innings to keep the Loggers in striking distance. However, Eric Anderson tossed 3.2 scoreless innings for the Bucs to earn the save.
The Loggers and Pirates conclude their three-game series tomorrow with a single game at noon.