Bradshaw Throws 1-Hitter at #7 Linfield, as Bearcats Win Second Game, 2-1

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

McMINNVILLE, ORE. -- Freshman pitcher Victoria Bradshaw (Discovery Bay, CA/Liberty HS) threw a complete-game 1-hitter to lead Willamette University to a 2-1 victory over seventh-ranked Linfield College in the second game of Northwest Conference twilight doubleheader on Wednesday, April 10. Linfield won the first game, 8-0, on the run rule in six innings.

Linfield ended the night at 29-6 overall, 21-3 in the NWC. Willamette moved to 14-18 on the season, 10-12 in the NWC.

The only hit allowed by Bradshaw was a single by Katy Brosig in the third inning. Brosig later scored when Bradshaw committed an error on an infield ball by Grace Middelstadt.

WU rallied from the 1-0 deficit by scoring twice in the top of the fourth. With one out, Amanda Fernandes (So., UT, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) singled and Erin Bueser (Fr., 1B, Mill Creek, WA/Henry M. Jackson HS) hit an RBI double to center field. Bueser went from second base to home plate when Courtney Galli recorded the Bearcats' third consecutive hit, a single to left field.

While throwing all seven innings for WU, Bradshaw struck out two batters and gave up six walks. She walked more than one batter in the same inning just once. That was in the sixth, when Karleigh Prestianni walked to open the inning and Haylie Watson walked with two outs. Bradshaw struck out McKenna Speith to end the threat.

In the seventh, Chelan Guischer of Linfield walked with one out Middlestadt provided a sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner Kristen Vroom to second base, but Bradshaw got Erin Carson to fly out to center field to end the game. Bradshaw improved to 6-4 with the win. Shelby VandeBergh, who pitched the first five innings for Linfield, fell to 11-3.

Willamette outhit the Wildcats 7-1 in the second game. Galli and Yvonne Drabin (Sr., CF, Fremont, CA/Moreau Catholic HS) each went 2 for 3 for the Bearcats. Fernandes, Bueser and Bradshaw added one hit apiece.

In the first game, Linfield pitcher Karina Paavola pitched five innings, struck out eight batters and allowed just three hits. She upped her record to 17-2. Maddy Dunn threw the sixth inning for the Wildcats. Hayley Glantz (So., P, Reno, NV/Robert McQueen HS) tossed all six innings for WU, but fell to 8-12 on the season.

The Wildcats built a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Middlestadt walked and Carson grounded out. Two more walks loaded the bases, before Ashley Garcia drove in the first run with an infield hit toward shortstop. With two outs, Spieth contributed a two-run single, while Brosig added an RBI single to center field.

Linfield tacked on two runs in the second stanza and one in the third. In the second, Carson and Garcia each hit an RBI double. In the third, Carson added an RBI single. The final run was scored by Prestianni in the bottom of the sixth on a one-out single by Garcia, as the run rule went into effect.

Garcia went 4 for 4 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and a run scored, as the Wildcats amassed 13 hits in the opener. Carson went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Prestianni finished 2 for 3 and scored three times.

Three Bearcats earned one hit in the opener. They were Drabin, Jenna King (So., OF, Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo HS) and Allison Martin (Jr., OF, Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS).

Willamette is scheduled to play again on Saturday, April 13 in a doubleheader at the University of Puget Sound. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will play two games on Sunday, April 14 at Pacific Lutheran University, before closing out the regular season by making up a doubleheader at Whitworth University on Tuesday, April 16.