Willamette Defeats Pioneers 4-3 and 8-4 to Complete Four-Game Sweep

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

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University completed a four-game sweep of its Northwest Conference series with Lewis & Clark College on Sunday, April 12, as the Bearcats won 4-3 and 8-4 at the WU Softball Field. Willamette trailed in each game before rallying for all four wins.

The Bearcats improved to 15-19 overall, while advancing their NWC record to 12-12. Lewis & Clark ended the day at 8-27 overall, 5-19 in the NWC.

Willamette is tied with Pacific Lutheran University for fifth place in the NWC. The Bearcats will have to defeat Linfield College (14-10) in at least three of four games next weekend, while winning one more game than PLU wins against University of Puget Sound, in order to reach the four-team NWC Tournament. WU also would advance in a three-way tie at 15-13.

On Saturday, WU won the first game of the series 9-8 after trailing 7-1 entering the bottom of the third inning. In the second game on Saturday, the Bearcats recovered from a 3-0 deficit after 2 1/2 innings to prevail 6-3.

In Sunday's opener, the Bearcats were behind 3-1 after 3 1/2 innings and trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh. Willamette trailed 4-2 after 5 1/2 innings in the second game.

Pitcher Jade Smith (So., Chico, CA/Chico HS) earned both wins for Willamette on Sunday. She threw all seven innings in the first game and pitched the final 6 1/3 innings in the second game. She tossed a four-hitter to open the day, and gave up seven hits in game two. She registered two strikeouts in each contest.

The first game of the doubleheader ended in exciting fashion as Ashley Pender (Jr., 2B, Reno, NV/North Valleys HS) drove in Danielle Saunders (Fr., OF, Salem, OR/McNary HS) and Heather Winslow (Sr., 1B, Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS) on a walk-off single to right field with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

In the second game, WU scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to surge into an 8-4 lead. Smith forced L&C to leave two runners on base in the top of the seventh to clinch the win.

L&C scored two runs in the first inning of the opener on Sunday. Haley Robinson singled, stole second and went to third on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on a triple by Hannah Dal Pra. Madison Hollenbeck brought home Dal Pra with a sacrifice fly.

Winslow reached base on catcher's interference in the bottom of the first. She stole second, and went to third when Pender hit a bunt single. Winslow scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Amanda Absher (Sr., C, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS). Lewis & Clark tacked on a run with no hits and three errors in the top of the second for a 3-1 edge.

That score held until the bottom of the fourth, when WU pulled within 3-2. Kayla Rieger (Sr., 3B/OF, Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS/Adelphi Univ.) connected for an infield single with one out. She stole second, and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jenna King (Sr., OF, Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo HS). An RBI single by Norris allowed Rieger to cross the plate.

After allowing three runs in the first two innings, Smith kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard for the next five frames to give the Bearcats a chance to rally. Both teams left two runners on base without scoring in the fifth and Willamette also left two runners on base in the sixth.

Saunders was hit by a pitch to start WU's half of the seventh inning. Winslow single to center, advancing Saunders to third. Winslow stole second base. One out later, Pender singled to right field to drive in the tying and winning runs.

Winslow finished 3 for 3 with two runs scored. Pender was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Rieger went 2 for 3 and scored one run. Four L&C players each recorded one hit.

Lewis & Clark took a 2-0 lead in the first stanza of the second game. Both runs were scored on a homer to center field by Hollenbeck. WU tied the score in the second inning, as Absher blasted a leadoff homer and Rieger reached base on an error and later scored on an error.

The rest of the scoring occurred in the sixth inning. In the top of the frame, Dal Pra hit a double and gave way to pinch-runner Kylee Kennel. A sacrifice bunt by Hollenbeck advanced Kennel to third and a sacrifice fly by Amanda Rabith allowed Kennel to score. Ateisha Norton batted next and belted a solo homer.

The Bearcats plated six runs on four hits and one error in the bottom of the sixth. Norris brought in the first two runs with a single to center field. Later, pinch-runner Steffany Dunn (So., INF, Colfax, CA/Colfax HS) scored on an error. Myranda Ramirez (So., CF, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) completed the offensive barrage with a three-run double to left center.

A double by Jenai Rojo to start the seventh inning and a one-out bunt single by Robinson gave L&C hope for a rally, but Smith forced a fly out by Lindsay Yearman and a groundout by Dal Pra to end the game.

Ramirez was 2 for 3 with three RBIs for Willamette. Absher went 2 for 4 with a home run. Ashley Bolick of Lewis & Clark finished 2 for 3, while Hollenbeck and Norton each hit a home run.

The Bearcats will host Linfield in a doubleheader at the WU Softball Field on Saturday, April 18 at 12 p.m. (PDT). WU and Linfield will play an additional two games in McMinnville, Oregon, on Sunday, April 19, starting at 12 p.m.