Bearcats and Loggers Split, as WU Wins 7-6 and Puget Sound Wins 6-2

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University rallied from a 5-2 deficit to win the first game of a doubleheader against the University of Puget Sound, 7-6, on Saturday, March 27 at WU Softball Field. In the second game, Puget Sound pitcher Madd Garcia tossed a four-hitter as the Loggers won 6-2. At the end of the day, Willamette was 3-9 on the season, 2-4 in the Northwest Conference, while Puget Sound was 2-8 overall, 2-4 in the NWC. The teams will complete the four-game series with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 28, starting at 10 a.m. (PDT).

Puget Sound plated three runs in the second inning of the opening game. Kait Webster singled and Kenda Gantz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Both runners scored on a double by Noelle Kerr. Kerr eventually scored an unearned run when Savanna Smith reached base on an error.

The Bearcats pulled with 3-2 in the bottom of the second on two hits and three errors. Gianna Marchese (Jr., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.) hit an RBI single to right center during the inning, while Kelsey Wong (Jr., 2B, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) added an RBI single on a bunt.

Two runs by the Loggers in the fourth inning increased their advantage to 5-2. Both runs scored on a double by Mikayla Newman. WU answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Mia Lund (Fy., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) and Brianna Majors (So., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) each drove in one run with a single.

Willamette tied the game at 5-5 during the Bearcats' next at bat in the fifth. Bailey Hillmick (Sr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) doubled down the left field line to start the frame. Adele Benny (So., OF, Bee Cave, TX/Lake Travis HS) pinch-ran and went to third when Marykate DeLuca (So., C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) provided a sacrifice bunt toward third. Wong hit a single to send Benny across the plate.

In the sixth inning, the Bearcats took advantage of a single by Majors and two errors by the Loggers to score two runs and gain a 7-5 lead. Mott drove in Majors by reaching base on an error. DeLuca drove in pinch-runner Kyrstin Calleja (Fy., OF, Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert HS) with the second run on a sacrifice fly. The Loggers scored a run on an infield single by Smith with one out and runners at first and third in the top of the seventh. A strikeout and a line-out to right field ended the game.

Hillmick improved to 2-2 on the season after earning the pitching victory. She earned four strikeouts. Smith fell to 0-3 with the loss for Puget Sound. Majors topped Willamette with a 3-of-4 performance along with one run and one RBIs. Wong finished 2 of 3 with a run and two RBIs. For Puget Sound, Kerr was 3 of 4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs. The Loggers owned an 11-9 edge in hits, but committed six turnovers.

The Loggers grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the first inning of the second game. Newman drove in the first run with a single up the middle. The second run was scored by Hail Ueyama, who was hit by a pitch and eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch with two outs.

Lund scored for WU in the bottom of the first. She walked, stole second, and went home on a single by Majors with one out. Majors was thrown out at second attempting to stretch the hit into a double.

A sacrifice fly by Smith drove in Newman for Puget Sound in the third inning, as the Loggers took a 3-1 lead. Puget Sound added two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Kerr and an RBI groundout by Abbi Wong. The Loggers added one run in the sixth. Willamette completed the scoring when Mott walked with one out, Calleja pinch-ran, Hillmick moved Calleja to third with a single, and DeLuca supplied a sacrifice fly.

Garcia struck out seven Bearcats while moving her record to 1-3 on the season. Mott struck out four Puget Sound batters. Both pitchers tossed complete games.

Newman was 3 of 4 with two runs and an RBI for Puget Sound. Four Bearcats registered a hit against Garcia. They were Lund, Majors, Hillmick, and Marchese.