By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Due to the forecast of rain in the Willamette Valley early this weekend, the Willamette University versus Pacific Lutheran University softball series has been rescheduled to Sunday, March 19 and Monday, March 20. The four-game Northwest Conference series was originally slated to be played on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bearcats and the Lutes will still play a doubleheader on Sunday, March 19 at the WU Softball Field, starting at 12 p.m. (PDT). Willamette and PLU will close out the series with another doubleheader at the WU Softball Field on Monday, March 20, with first pitch set for 11 a.m.

Willamette is 2-5 on the season and 2-3 in the NWC. The Bearcats have not played at home since taking on crosstown rival Corban University in a doubleheader on Feb. 12. Pacific Lutheran owns an overall record of 11-5, including 7-3 in the NWC.

Mallory Asaro (Sr., SS, Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) tops the Bearcats with a .565 batting average (13 of 23). Taiana Creekmur (Fr., C, Honolulu, HI/St. Francis HS) has .500 in limited at bats (5 of 10), while Darian Gibson (So., LF, Newport Beach, CA/Calvary HS) holds a .458 batting average (11 of 24) with a team-high three home runs.

Reanna Lancaster (So., P, Los Altos, CA/Mountain View HS) leads Willamette's pitchers with a 3.94 earned run average.