By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant
TACOMA, Wash. – The Willamette University softball team split a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, April 6. The Lutes claimed the opener, 6-4, before the Bearcats reversed the score to take the nightcap 6-4 behind 10 strikeouts from Kenna Davis (Jr., 3B/SS/P, Alameda, CA/Alameda HS).
Hatfield Drives in Two Runs, Has Two Doubles in Game One
Willamette struck first, scoring a lone run with two outs in the second inning. Desirae Hatfield (Fy., INF, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) doubled to set up an RBI single from Karsen Angel (Fy., C, Albany, OR/South Albany HS).
Pacific Lutheran capitalized on a wild pitch and an error to plate a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second to pull in front 2-1. Brooke Tilson added an RBI single with the Lutes' lone hit in the inning.
The Bearcats immediately retook the lead in the top of the third. Maris Pinheiro (Fy., C/OF, Tulare, CA/Tulare Union HS) led off the inning with a single. Mia Rogers (So., 2B/SS/P, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a passed ball. That led to an RBI single from Emma Elliott (So., OF, Battle Ground, WA/Battle Ground HS) to tie the game. Elliott came around to score on a double from Kendra Knapp (Gr., OF, Portland, OR/Sunset HS), putting Willamette in front, 3-2.
Pacific Lutheran loaded the bases and tied the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third. They added another run on a wild pitch and made the score 5-3 on a single from Molly House.
The Bearcats loaded the bases in the top of the fourth inning with the help of stolen bases from Mia Lund (Sr., OF/UT, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) and Pinheiro. The Lutes managed to strand the runners and held on to the two-run advantage.
Faith Collar (Jr., UT, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) singled in the fifth and cut the deficit to 5-4 on another RBI double off the bat of Hatfield. House answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead back to a pair at 6-4.
That would close out the scoring for the remainder of the game. Hatfield led the Bearcats at the plate, going 2-for-3 with her two doubles, two RBIs and one run scored. Pinheiro added a pair of hits while Lund recorded two stolen bases in the opener.
Davis Strikes Out 10 to Lead Bearcats in 6-4 Win
The Bearcats scored an early run to start game two before an extended rain delay halted the action for close to an hour. Pinheiro led off with an infield single before Brianna Majors (Gr., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Majors moved to third on a single from Elliott to set up a sacrifice RBI as Rogers flew out to center.
Following the delay, Willamette got the bats going with five hits to add four runs to stretch the lead to 5-0. Collar laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Cora Erickson (Sr., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS) and Hatfield to second and third. Pinheiro came through with a single to add two more runs and Majors hit one into right field to bring in Pinheiro. Elliott closed out the rally with another RBI single to give the Bearcats a 5-0 advantage.
Davis kept the Lutes off the board behind a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the second. The rain started to pick up again in the top of the third with Collar stranded after stealing second.
The Lutes used a two-out rally in the third to cut the deficit to 5-3. After a pair of strikeouts and two walks, Zoe Smithson reached on an error and moved all the way to third as two runs came across the plate. Smithson came home on a wild pitch before the Bearcats recorded the third out.
The Bearcats held PLU scoreless in the fourth and Davis added a pair of strikeouts in a three-up, three-down inning in the fifth. Willamette added some insurance in the sixth, adding a run to make the score 6-3. Hatfield led off with a single and eventually came in to score as Pinheiro dropped a single into center field.
The Lutes looked to rally in the seventh behind a solo home run from Paolo Garcia. Davis came right back to record her 10th strikeout of the game and secure the 6-4 win. Davis earned the win with a complete game effort, holding PLU to just five hits in the nightcap.
Pinheiro drove in three runs with three hits while Hatfield went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Elliott added a pair of hits and Majors scored twice to lead the Bearcats.
Willamette moves to 7-13 overall and 3-7 in the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats return to action on Sunday, April 7, facing Pacific Lutheran again with the opening pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. PDT.
