By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University first-year left fielder Emma Elliott (Battle Ground, WA/Battle Ground HS) went 3 for 4 in the second game and was 4 for 5 overall, as the Bearcats played a Northwest Conference doubleheader against Whitworth University on Monday, April 3 at the WU Softball Field. Elliott singled and walked twice in the first game. She belted two doubles, scored twice, and recorded one RBI in the second game. Whitworth won both parts of the doubleheader, 7-1 and 6-4.
The first contest was the continuation of a game started on Sunday, April 2 and suspended with two outs in the top of the first inning. The Pirates improved to 18-10 overall, 10-6 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 13-17 on the season, 8-12 in the NWC.
Willamette will take on George Fox University on Friday, April 7 in Newberg, Oregon. First pitch in the NWC doubleheader is set for 2 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats also will battle GFU in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 8, starting at 12 p.m. in Newberg.
Elliott Walks Twice and Hits a Single in Game 1
Whitworth held a 3-0 lead and runners were at first and second when the suspended game resumed. Jenna Radke was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Jessica Rusconi flied out to center field to end the first inning.
The Pirates added two runs in the second and one run in the third to increase their lead to 6-0. In the second, Mattea Nelson belted an RBI double and eventually scored the second run. In the third, Radke walked and scored three batters later, when Nelson hit into an error. Whitworth scored its final run in the top of the fifth on a home run by Nelson.
Elliott began her strong day for the Bearcats by walking in the bottom of the first. She connected on a single to center field in the fourth, but was thrown out at second base when Brianna Majors (Sr., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) hit into a 3-6-4 double play. Elliott received her second walk of the game in the sixth inning.
Marykate DeLuca (Sr., C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) began Willamette's half of the sixth inning with a single to left. Alexandra Richards (So., OF, Bellevue, WA/Newport HS) pinch-ran for DeLuca, and then Elliott walked. Majors hit a single to load the bases with no outs.
Richards scored when Lund batted into a 4-6-3 double play. Hannah Porter (Jr., UT, Chehalis, WA/Centralia HS) hit a ground ball for the third out, as the Pirates escaped the inning with only one run crossing the plate. Whitworth turned three double plays during the game.
Six Bearcats earned one hit. The hits were by Elliott, DeLuca, and Majors, plus Faith Collar (So., P/UT, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS), Cora Erickson (Jr., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS), and Gianna Marchese (Grad., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.). For Whitworth, Nelson was 2 for 5 with two runs, two RBIs, a double, and a home run.
Bearcats Nearly Complete Rally in Game 2
Willamette trailed 6-2 when the second game entered the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Bearcats came very close to at least tying the game. With one out, Elliott singled to left and DeLuca singled up the middle. Majors drove in Elliott and sent DeLuca to third base with a double to right field. Collar walked, loading the bases. Lund grounded out, but DeLuca scored to cut Whitworth's lead to 6-4.
With Majors on third and Collar at second, Marchese batted next. On the second pitch, Marchese hit a blooper to right field. Haley Montoya, playing second base, made an over-the-shoulder catch and almost didn't control the ball. The ball was only a few inches from falling in between Montoya and right fielder Julia Dillon when Montoya made the catch.
The Pirates scored first when Montoya belted an RBI triple to center field in the top of the third. Willamette tied the game in the bottom of the inning, when Sophia Lucio (So., RF, Martinez, CA/College Park HS) singled, stole second base with one out, and scored on a double by Elliott.
In the fourth inning, Whitworth took a 2-1 lead and the Pirates tacked on two runs in the fifth. Taylor Hofheins provided an RBI single in the fourth, while Heather Menzer hit a two-run single in the fifth. The Bearcats reduced the margin to 4-2 later in the fifth on an RBI single from DeLuca. The Pirates scored two runs on four hits in the top of the seventh.
Elliott's 3-for-4 effort with two doubles led the Bearcats. DeLuca was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Lucio went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Montoya finished 3 of 4 with a run, a triple, and an RBI for Whitworth.
