By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The Willamette University softball team opened the 2024 season with a double-header at NAIA member Bushnell University on Saturday, February 17. The Beacons pushed across five runs in the third inning to capture game one, 9-1, in five innings. The Bearcats battled in game two, taking a 2-1 lead before the hosts came back to take the sweep, 4-2.
Bushnell improved to 3-6 on the season while the Bearcats opened the season at 0-2. Sophomore Abigail Loomis (So., P/OF, Canby, OR/Canby) was stellar in the nightcap, recording a career-high 11 strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
The Bearcats threatened early as Emma Elliott (So., OF, Battleground, WA/Battleground HS) led off the game with a single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Elliott was stranded on third to keep Willamette off the scoreboard. Bushnell used a pair of hits in the bottom of the first to take an early lead as Alyssa Ferreira scored on a single off the bat of Haleigh Wambolt.
Bushnell stretched the lead to 3-0 after a pair of walks led to a two-RBI single from Ferreira in the bottom half of the second inning. Ferreira added another run, advancing to third on a single from Suzi Krstic and coming across the plate on an error. Mia Rogers (So., 2B/SS/P, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS), who came on in relief, recorded back-to-back strikeouts to close out the inning.
Elliott tallied her second hit of the game and came around to score on a single from Brianna Majors (Gr., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) to cut the deficit to 4-1. Wambolt answered with another single to start the bottom half of the third. She moved to second on a single and then came around to score on another Bearcat error as Taylor Kenworthy reached on a bunt single.
The Beacons tacked on two more runs off a double from Tai Dumloa to make the score 7-1. Krstic followed up with an infield single to load the bases with just one out. Bushnell scored two more before the Bearcats could shut the door, to lead by eight at the end of the third.
Faith Collar (Jr., UT/Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) singled to give Willamette an opportunity in the top of the fourth, but the Bearcats were unable to plate the run and cut into the lead. The Beacons went three-up and three-down in the fifth as the score remained 9-1.
The Bearcats needed to score at least once to extend the game before the eight-run rule came into effect. Emily Cole came on in relief for Bushnell and immediately recorded a pair of strikeouts. Rogers kept the Bearcats alive, reaching on an error before a fly out ended the opener.
Elliott led Willamette at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Rogers recorded five strikeouts in the circle.
Game two had a similar start with Collar reaching on a single and stealing second before the Beacons recorded the third out. Willamette recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the inning before Krstic reached, stole second and came in to score on a single from Hannah Tennant. Loomis bookended the inning with a pair of strikeouts to hold the hosts to just one run.
The Bearcats answered in the top half of the second as Rogers reached on a walk and made her way around on a passed ball and two ground outs to tie the game, 1-1. The Beacons put runners on second and third in the bottom of the inning, but another Loomis strikeout kept the score even.
Elliott launched a solo homer to right center to put Willamette on top in the third. Bushnell quickly responded in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double from Breanna Hilton. The Beacons threatened to take the lead in the fourth inning after a double from Molly Haley. Loomis came up big with her eighth strikeout of the game to end the inning.
Bushnell went to the bullpen with Cole coming on in the fifth. Cole kept the score even and the Beacons capitalized on a pair of errors to put two runners on base in the bottom of the inning. They produced a pair of unearned runs on a two-RBI single from Faith Wayman to go back in front, 4-2.
Loomis stranded a pair of runners in the sixth, adding a pair of strikeouts to raise her total to 11 for the day. The Bearcats drew a pair of walks in the top of the seventh, but Bushnell would hold on behind two strikeouts from Cole to complete the sweep.
Collar, Elliott and Majors each had hits for Willamette while Loomis went the distance in the circle, recording her career-best 11 strikeouts. Willamette returns to action on Saturday, February 24, hosting Warner Pacific University. The first pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m. PST.
