Pacific Wins 7-5 and 4-1, as Bearcats Battle Boxers in Northwest Conference

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Pacific University scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break a 5-5 tie on its way to a 7-5 win against Willamette University in the first game of a Northwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 2 at Sherman-Larkins Stadium. The Boxers won the second game, 4-1, as pitcher Morgan Masters tossed a complete-game one-hitter.

The wins improved Pacific to 8-5 on the season, including 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 0-7 overall, 0-2 in the NWC. The Bearcats and Boxers will play two more games in Forest Grove on Sunday, March 3 to complete the four-game series. First pitch on Sunday is set for 12 p.m. (PST).

"I love watching this team (Willamette) grow and battle," Willamette Head Coach Damian Williams said.

Teams Combine for 10 Runs in First Two Innings of Game 1

Willamette surged out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as the doubleheader got underway.Breianna Mcleod (So., OF, Kailua Kona, HI/West Hawaii Explorations Acad.) was hit by a pitch to start the game, then stole second base and third base. One out later, Mcleod scored on a single by Jocelyn Glasgo (Jr., P, Rochester, WA/Tumwater HS). Glasgo stole second and scored on a double by Bailey Hillmick (So., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS).

Danielle Koontz (So., OF, Cupertino, CA/Monta Vista HS) pinch-ran for Hillmick, and scored when Vanessa Almaraz (Jr., OF, Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley HS) blasted a two-run homer to center field.

Pacific answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Nicole Martinez opened the inning by smacking a solo home run to right field. Kaitlynn Donaca walked, and scored later in the inning on a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Taylor Nishimura. The Boxers left three runners on base when Kiana Kushiyama flied out to center.

Willamette increased its lead to 5-2 in the top of the second. Payten Healy (Fr., SS, Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) singled up the middle, and went to third one out later when Kilani Fierstos (Fr., 2B, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) reached first and second on an throwing error by the shortstop. Glasgo walked to fill the bases. Healy scored an unearned run when Almaraz was hit by a pitch. WU left three runners on base.

In the Boxers' half of the second inning, Pacific scored a trio of runs to tie the game. The first run scored on a bases-loaded single by Hailey Miller. The second run crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Jill Uyeda. Montana Vaught scored the third run by stealing home.

Neither team scored in the third inning, but the Boxers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and Vaught at second, Miller hit a single to left that allowed Vaught to score. Miller advanced to third on a double by Uyeda and scored on a single by Kate Macaitis-Smith, giving Pacific a 7-5 advantage.

WU had runners at second and third with one out in the fifth, but both runners were left on base. Relief pitcher Carly Bursch of Pacific limited the Bearcats to no runs and one hit in the final two innings to earn a save. Starter Tiare Guerrero evened her record for the Boxers at 2-2 with the win. Almaraz finished 3 of 3 for Willamette with a homer run, one run scored and three RBIs. Uyeda was 3 for 3 with a double and one RBI for Pacific.

Boxers Win Second Game as Masters Throws 1-Hitter

Masters pitched all seven innings for the Boxers in the second game and allowed just one hit, one walk and one run. She recorded six strikeouts, while moving to 4-1 on the season.

She received a big second inning from her teammates, who scored three runs on four hits and one error during the inning.  Uyeda singled with one out, and was at second when Macaitis-Smith hit a triple. An error at the end of the play allowed Macaitis-Smith to score for a 2-0 lead. Nishimura singled, stole second and scored the third run on a triple by Kushiyama. The Boxers tacked on a run in the fourth inning, when Uyeda doubled and then scored on a one-out single by Nishimura.

Although Masters kept the Bearcats from gaining much offensive momentum, she couldn't stop Glasgo in the top of the seventh. With one out, Glasgo not only broke up the no-hitter, she sent the ball over the left field fence for her first home run of the season.

Uyeda led Pacific with a 2-for-3 effort that included a double and two runs. Nishimura was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Macaitis-Smth went 1 for 4 with a triple, a run scored an an RBI.

Big Moment of the Day for Willamette

Jocelyn Glasgo broke up Morgan Masters' no-hitter in the
second game by smacking a solo home run to left field with
one out in the top of the seventh inning. It was Glasgo's first
home run of the season. Glasgo went 2 for 3 at the plate during
the doubleheader with four walks, two runs and two RBIs.