Complete Release (pdf)  I  Live Video: Game 1  Game 2  Game 3  I  Live Stats: Game 1  Game 2  Game 3
 
PORTLAND PILOTS (10-6, 0-0 WCC)
at LMU LIONS (6-11, 0-0 WCC)
Dates: Fri-Sun, March 18-20, 2016
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Field: Page Stadium (600)
Live Video: Game 1  Game 2  Game 3
Live Stats: Game 1  Game 2  Game 3
Series: LMU leads 48-29
2015: LMU 4-0, LMU 7-1, POR 3-2 (April 24-26 @POR)
 
PROBABLE STARTERS (W-L, ERA)
Friday • March 18 • 6 PM
POR: RHP Jordan Wilcox (3-0, 1.99)
LMU: RHP JD Busfield (1-0, 3.65)
 
Saturday • March 19 • 6 PM
POR: RHP Davis Tominaga (2-2, 3.20)
LMU: RHP Cory Abbott (1-2, 3.47)
 
Sunday • March 20 • 1 PM
POR: LHP Jordan Horak (1-0, 3.44)
LMU: RHP Tyler Cohen (1-2, 4.26)
 
THIS WEEK IN PILOTS BASEBALL
• The Portland Pilots opens play in the West Coast Conference this weekend when they travel to Los Angeles, Calif., for a three-game series against the Loyola Marymount Lions at Page Stadium.
• First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night, while Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m.
 
LAST WEEK IN PILOTS BASEBALL
• The Pilots split a four-game series at Utah Valley; the Pilots won the opener easily 10-3, Utah Valley took the next two 6-4 and 9-8, and Portland claimed the finale 8-6.
• Jordan Wilcox was masterful on the mound during the opener, allowing just four hits in 7.0 innings; the righty fanned six and the only run scored was unearned.
• Cooper Hummel was 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI's during the win.
• After taking the second game, the Wolverines scored four in the bottom of the ninth to claim the walk-off win.
• The Pilots recovered to win the finale, and Hummel had another nice day the plate, going 3-for-5 again with a homer and three RBI's.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Caleb Whalen has reached base safely during all 16 games this season and he is currently tied for first in the nation with 11 doubles.
• The senior outfielder is also tied for the most career triples in program history with 14 after claiming a three-bagger at UC Davis on Feb. 20; Whalen is tied with Larry Farrell (1958-61) and needs just one more triple to become the program leader.
• Whalen was named the WCC Position Player of the Week (Mar. 7) after hitting .462 to help lead the Pilots to a series win over UC Riverside; he also had three doubles, a home run, four runs scored and five RBI's.
• Senior closer Billy Sahlinger is tied for tops in the nation with six saves.
• As a team, the Pilots are fourth in the country with 37 stolen bases; Portland swiped just 21 bases all of last season.
• Portland is also sixth nationally in sacrifice bunts (19).
• Freshman Cody Hawken joined the list of Portland baseball players to hit two home runs in a game when he left the yard during his first two at-bats at Joe Etzel Field vs. Oakland on Feb. 26; Hawken became the first Pilot to accomplish the feat since Cody Lenahan last May, and no Portland player has ever hit three home runs in a game.
• Cooper Hummel, a career .168 hitter entering the season, got off to a stellar start to his junior campaign, hitting .500 during the month of February; he's currently second on the team with a .393 batting average and he posted a team and career-best eight-game hitting streak earlier this season.
• University of Portland Athletics Hall of Fame member Geoff Loomis is in his first season as head coach of the Pilots.
• Loomis spent the past 13 seasons at the helm of the Pacific Lutheran Lutes, where he compiled an impressive 327-197-2 (.624) record; he led the Lutes to 11 winning seasons during his tenure, including NCAA Regional appearances in 2007 and 2015 and Northwest Conference Championships in 2007, 2009 and 2015.
• Loomis, who starred on the diamond for the Pilots from 1990-92, still holds the program career record for batting average (.372) and he earned Pacific-10 North Division Player of the Year honors in 1992.
• Joining Loomis on the bench are first-year assistant coaches Gregg Swenson, Jake Valentine and Trey Watt.
• Swenson came to Portland after 10 years at Washington State, Valentine was at Santa Clara last season and Watt played for Loomis at Pacific Lutheran and was an assistant coach at George Fox for the past five years.
• Lights were installed at Joe Etzel Field during the off-season as the second phase of a planned three-phase project to upgrade Portland's home ballpark.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
• The Lions sit at 6-11 on the season, are batting .244 as a team, and have a staff ERA of 3.92.
• Junior catcher Cassidy Brown and freshman infielder Niko Decolati lead the way offensively, batting .365 and .359, respectively; both had two HR's and Decolati has a team-best 12 RBI's.
• Jason Gill is in his eighth season as head coach.
HOMES AWAY FROM HOME
• The Pilots are playing three "home" games away from home this season, which includes a pair of games at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, Ore., which is home to the Class A Hillsboro Hops.
• First the Pilots host CSUN in Hillsboro on Friday, March 25 at 7 p.m.; the Oregon Ducks then visit Ron Tonken Field on Wednesday, April 13 at 6 p.m.
• Portland is then scheduled to host the Seattle Redhawks in Tacoma, Wash., at Cheney Stadium on April 20.