With a weekend that is looking much better weather wise, a few matchups look really exciting and have postseason applications. Standing out this weekend is a pair of matchups in the Northwest Conference as well as a matchup of the top two teams in the NWAC East Region.
NWAC
Spokane vs Columbia Basin – With both teams sitting with only one loss in conference this weekend will go a long way to determining who will sit at the top of the regional standings. For Spokane their success begins with their starting pitching. McKabe Cottrell and Cameron Liss will need to come out strong to try and slow down the Columbia Basin offense and to give their own offense a chance to take the lead.
Jace Phelan will help lead the Spokane offense as he leads the team with a .400 batting average, with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs.
For Columbia Basin Freshman Isaac Haws and Evan Devolve will need to continue their solid season at the plate to help the Hawks get past Spokane’s pitching. Both are hitting over .300 and are 1 and 2 in RBIs for Columbia Basin.
Jase Wessels will be key on the mound for Columbia Basin. He will enter the weekend with a 3-0 record and an impressive 2.01 ERA. If he can keep things going he can help give the Hawks a chance to win the series.
Northwest Conference
In the NWC the top 4 teams in the rankings will face off with each other. This weekend will go a long way to setting the top spots in the NWC as well as seeing who can hold on to earn a spot in postseason play.
Pacific vs Willamette – Pacific holds the top spot in the conference but both Willamette and Pacific Lutheran are hot on their tales and looking to take the spot away. For Pacific their offense will lean on Chase Anderson. His .434 average, 8 home runs and 44 runs scored have been a big reason for the success of the team and has earned him a scholarship at the University of Utah to play next year.
For Willamette their offense has the ability to leave the yard in a hurry as they have the top 4 home run hitters in the conference. Sam Daly, Jeff Hoffman, and Michael Nelsen are tied for the conference lead with 12 home runs and Ethan Fischel is right behind them with 10 home runs of his own.
If Pacific can keep Willamette in the yard it will go a long way to taking the weekend but that is a challenge no one has been all too successful with this year.
Whitman vs Pacific Lutheran – For Whitman this series will be key in determining if they will be able to continue into the postseason, and for Pacific Lutheran this is their chance to take over the top spot in the conference.
Jordan Haworth and his conference leading .437 batting average will look to continue his success and lead the Pacific Lutheran offense. If Haworth can increase his 37 runs and 32 RBIs he will give his team a solid chance of making a run for the conference lead.
For Whitman they will lean on Julien Hernandez on the mound as he has been strong in recent starts, including a complete game shutout last weekend against George Fox. Hernandez needs to come out strong again this week to keep Whitman in the running for the postseason.