By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Gianna Marchese (Sr., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.) of Willamette University went 4 for 6 during a Northwest Conference doubleheader on Sunday, April 17, as the Bearcats defeated Lewis & Clark College 6-3 in the opener at the Huston Sports Complex and lost to the Pioneers 3-1 in the second game. WU earned its victory in a game that began on Saturday, April 16, but was suspended due to the weather with the Bearcats leading 4-3 and no outs in the top of the fifth. Lewis & Clark won the second game behind the strong pitching of Alyssa Abe, who tossed a five-hitter with six strikeouts.
Marchese was 2 for 3 in each game. In the first game, she hit two singles and registered one RBI. In the second game, she belted a double and scored Willamette's only run in the fifth inning before adding a single in the seventh.
Willamette concluded the year with a 9-29 record, 6-22 in the NWC. L&C ended its schedule at 16-22 overall, 11-17 in the NWC.
Bearcats Score Five Runs in 5th Inning that Spans Two Days
The game that was suspended on Saturday and completed on Sunday was won by Bearcats 6-3 as Willamette rallied from a 3-0 deficit after three innings. WU pulled within 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning and then plated five runs in the fifth. The fifth inning featured five runs and five hits for the Bearcats, including three runs scored on Saturday and two more runs on Sunday.
Kelsey Wong (Sr., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) began the fifth stanza on Saturday with a single down the left field line. Alexandra Richards (Fy., OF, Bellevue, WA/Newport HS) reached base on an error by the pitcher, as Wong went to second. Brianna Majors (Jr., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) drove in Wong with a single to center, while Richards advanced to third and Majors went to second on the throw to the plate.
Kendra Knapp (Jr., OF, Portland, OR/Sunset HS) added two-RBI double to left center as Richards and Majors crossed the plate. After Knapp's hit, play was suspended.
When play resumed on Sunday, Marykate DeLuca (Jr., C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) singled to center to put runners on the corners. Adele Benny (Jr., OF, Bee Cave, TX/Lake Travis HS) pinch-ran for DeLuca and stole second base. Knapp scored on a ground out by Cassie Cosler (Sr., 1B, Albany, OR/West Albany HS). Faith Collar (Fy., P/UT, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) grounded out, and then Marchese singled up the middle to drive in Benny. Neither team scored over the final 2 1/2 innings.
L&C gained its 3-0 lead with RBI singles from Braylin Jenson and Alyssa Hoeke in the second inning, plus an RBI single by Olivia Brackin in the third. WU tallied its first run on a solo homer by Cosler with one out in the fourth.
Collar pitched all seven innings for Willamette and improved to 1-2 with the win. She allowed just six hits. Cassidy Crusberg, now 3-10, threw the first six innings for Lewis & Clark and gave all six runs -- four earned -- on 10 hits. Wong was 3 for 3 with a double and one run scored for the Bearcats. Hoeke went 2 of 4 for the Pioneers.
Erickson and Marchese Each Earn Two Hits in Game 2
In the second game, Marchese's 2-for-3 performance was matched by teammate Cora Erickson (So., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS). Even so, Abe's strong performance in the circle for L&C helped the Pioneers win the game 3-1. Lewis & Clark scored all three runs on a pair of homers.
The game was scoreless until Samantha Gildersleeve blasted a solo home run for L&C to start the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bearcats tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth. Marchese hit a leadoff double and scored when Erickson singled to center field. Erickson attempted to extend the hit into a double but was thrown out at second.
Mia Lund (So., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) of Willamette singled near the right field line and stole second base in the top of the sixth. Lund went to third on a ground out by Majors. Abe forced a strikeout and a flyout to end the threat. In the bottom of the sixth, Brackin reached first on an error at third. After Gildersleeve fouled out to third base, Mari Alvarez hit a two-run homer to left center.
Marchese singled for WU with one out in the top of the seventh. Pinch-runner Sophia Lucio (So., RF, Martinez, CA/College Park HS) was left on base after Erickson flied out to left field and Wong fouled out near first base.