By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University sophomore third baseman Kathryn Moore (So., 3B, Reno, NV/Robert McQueen HS) is off to a great start this season. She has started all six games and leads the Bearcats with a .556 batting average. She is 10 for 18 at the plate.

Moore's 18 at bats are tied for second on the team and she is tied for the team lead with two doubles. She is 2 for 2 on stolen bases, helping the Bearcats go 17 for 19 on stolen bases as a team.

This past weekend, in two games against Linfield College, she hit .714 with five hits in seven at bats. She scored two runs, smacked one double, and drove in three runs.

Willamette split with the Wildcats on Saturday (March 5) as Linfield won the first game 3-2 and the Bearcats rebounded for an 8-5 victory in the second game. The final two games of the series, scheduled for Sunday, March 6 were rained out and will be made up later in the season.

In Willamette's win over Linfield, Moore went 3 for 4 at the plate. She scored twice during the game, and broke a 5-5 tie with a bases-clearing double in the top of the fifth inning.

Moore has made significant strides as a player for the Bearcats since arriving at Willamette a year ago. As a freshman, she played in eight games with six starts. Now, she is battling for a starting spot each week.

The Bearcats are 5-1 on the season and 5-1 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette is scheduled to host Whitworth University, 6-2 in the NWC, in a four-game series this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 12 and another doubleheader on Sunday, March 13. First pitch at WU Softball Field is set for 12 p.m. each day.