Bearcats Win 2-1 and 11-3 against Loggers in NWC Doubleheader

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University won the first game 2-1 on a run in the bottom of the second inning, then won the second game 11-3 on the run rule in five innings, as the Bearcats took both games of a doubleheader against the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, April 20 at WU Softball Field. Pitchers Jordyn Johnson (Sr., P, Winslow, AZ/Winslow HS) and Kenna Davis (Jr., P/3B, Alameda, CA/Alameda HS) picked up the pitching decisions, as Willamette improved to 11-17 overall, 7-11 in the Northwest Conference. Puget Sound fell to 7-19 on the season, 5-13 in the NWC.

Johnson allowed one run on five hits and two walks in the opener. She struck out six batters and moved to 2-8. Davis pitched to all but four batters in the second game, as she started, then left and re-entered in the fifth inning. She advanced to 8-6. Davis gave up one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts. The Bearcats allowed just seven hits in the two games.

Willamette matched the Loggers with five hits in the first game, but the Bearcats exploded for 10 hits in the shortened second game. In the opener, Maris Pinheiro (Fy., C/OF, Tulare, CA/Tulare Union HS) was the only player with more than one hit, as she went 2 of 4. During the second game, WU players Emma Elliott (So., OF, Battle Ground, WA/Battle Ground HS), Desirae Hatfield (Fy., INF, Salem, OR/South Salem HS), and Jenna Hopkins (Fy., INF, Mt. Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) each earned two hits.

Bearcats Win Pitcher's Duel in Bottom of 7th

The Bearcats won the first game in dramatic fashion as Sophia Lucio (Sr., RF, Martinez, CA/College Park HS) scored from second with no outs. Lucio reached home when a sacrifice bunt by Mia Rogers (So., 3B/P, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) was thrown toward first base but was not caught. The ball went into foul territory and Lucio crossed the plate for a 2-1 win.

Harley Raymond (Jr., 1B, Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS/Columbia Basin College) started the bottom of the seventh with a pinch-hit single to right. Lucio pinch-ran for Raymond and went to second when a bunt single in the air by Pinheiro was missed by a diving Makayla Johnson from third base. With no outs, Lucio at second, and Pinheiro at first, Rogers bunted near the first base line. Jessica Moore, playing first base, fielded the ball and threw it toward first, where it bounced off Claire Besancon's glove, while covering from second base.

Wilamette tallied the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Brianna Majors (Grad., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) began the stanza with a double to right center. Two outs later, Mia Lund (Sr., OF/UT, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) doubled to left center, sending Majors across the plate.

The Loggers tied the score at 1-1 with a leadoff homer by Brenna Flannery in the top of the third. The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh.

Six Runs in First Inning Send WU Toward 11-3 Victory

Willamette pushed across six runs in the first inning of the second game on five runs and one error. The big inning sent Willamette well on its way to an 11-3 win on the run-rule.

The offensive surge started with one out when Lucio singled on a short hit in front of the plate. Lucio stole second base, and scored on a double to left center by Elliott. Majors was hit by a pitch. Another wild throw moved the runners to second and third. Hatfield followed with a single up the middle, as Elliott scored for a 2-0 lead and Majors went to third.

A groundout by Raymond drove home Majors. Hatfield scored when Lund reached first on a fielding error at shortstop. Lund crossed the plate on a double to left by Hopkins. Karsen Angel (Fy., C, Albany, OR/South Albany HS) singled to right field to drive in Hopkins for a 6-0 advantage.

Willamette benefited from five more errors by the Loggers in the next three innings, as the Bearcats scored five more runs. Elliott scored in the second inning, and Hopkins and Pinheiro scored in the third inning for a 9-0 lead. Besancon scored for PS in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Aislinn O'Reilly. WU expanded its margin to 11-1 in the bottom of the fourth on runs by Hatfield and Hopkins. The Bearcats allowed two runs in the top of the fifth, but held on to an 11-3 lead to bring the run rule into effect.

The Bearcats and the Loggers will play another doubleheader on Sunday, April 21. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. PDT.