TACOMA, Wash. – Elayna Van Hess threw seven strong innings and Jenica Holt caught fire at the plate but the Puget Sound softball team fell 4-3 to Willamette on Wednesday.

Willamette (19-10, 18-6 NWC) scored three runs in the first to take the early lead. After the Bearcats loaded the bases, Kelli Snyder drew a walk to bring in the first run. A grounder to short knocked in another run but the Loggers were able to get the force at third. Courtney Galli then singled in another run before Van Hess was able to retire the side.

Holt immediately breathed some life into the Loggers (3-27, 3-21 NWC) offense when she took the first pitch from Hayley Glantz over the center field fence for her first career home run.

Glantz and Van Hess breezed through the next three innings but the Loggers got the bats going again in the fifth. Van Hess singled to start the inning but was retired at second after a grounder to third from Megan Janes. Holt then singled. Tahni Arndt hit into a fielders choice and Janes was forced out at third to give the Loggers two outs. Aryn Grause then came through with a big time double that scored both Arndt from first and Holt to tie the game at 3-3.

The Bearcats responded in the sixth when Carolyn Cava scored on a Logger error that would have ended the inning.

Glantz held the Loggers off the board in the final two frames to get the complete game win. Van Hess took the tough loss in the circle, allowing just four hits in seven innings of work.

The Loggers host Pacific Lutheran on Saturday for Senior Day at noon.