George Fox Wins in Softball 9-2, as Halted Game will not be Completed

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- George Fox University has been declared the winner by a 9-2 final score in the softball game that was suspended due to darkness with two outs in the top of the seventh inning on Wednesday, April 9. The game was the second half of a doubleheader of makeup games. GFU won 14-5 in the first game, which lasted two and a half hours.

It has been determined that the Northwest Conference's halted game rule applies to the second game because it was the final contest in this year's series between the two teams, and the game reached regulation length (five or more innings). The score when the game was halted is the official score and all statistics recorded during the game count.

With the win, George Fox improved to 23-12 overall, 12-11 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 16-16 on the season, 12-10 in the NWC.

As in the first game on Wednesday, the Bruins led 2-1 after one inning.

Both runs for GFU scored with one out on Kayla Anderson's two-run homer to left field. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Ashley Pender (So., 2B, Reno, NV/North Valley HS) singled down the left field line. Pender went to second and third on a pair of wild pitches, and later scored on a single by Alex Shields (Fr., C, Lake Forest, CA/El Toro HS).

Anderson drove in two more runs for the Bruins in the second inning with a bases-loaded double. Amanda Woods drove in Kat Hylton from third base with an infield single toward third, giving George Fox a 5-1 lead.

The Bruins tacked on a run in the top of the third, as Baylee Westrick doubled and eventually scored on a single by Ashley Bunce. WU cut the margin the 6-2 with a run in the bottom of the third.

Shield's connected for a single with two outs in the inning. She moved to second when Steffany Dunn (Fr., SS/3B, Colfax, CA/Colfax HS) walked, and then scored when Erin Norris (Jr., 3B/C, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) reached first and second on a throwing error by the shortstop.

The throw forced the first baseman to catch the ball in Norris' path. The glove and Norris collided near the bag and the ball went into foul territory. The play left runners at second and third, but GFU escaped the inning, as pitcher Alyssa DenDekker caused Kayla Rieger (Jr., OF, Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) to ground out.

George Fox plated two runs in the fifth inning on a single by Megan Furtado, and added one run in the sixth when Westrick received a bases-loaded walk. The Bruins left three runners on base. WU also left three runners on base in the sixth despite a single by Rieger, one hit batsman and one error.

The Bruins were in front 9-2 with runners at first and third and two outs in the top of the seventh when the game was suspended.

GFU achieved a 14-5 advantage in hits. Woods was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Anderson finished 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, one run and four RBIs.

Shields was 2 of 3 for Willamette. She scored one run and drove in one run.

Willamette will play a doubleheader against Linfield College on Saturday, April 12 in McMinnville, Ore. First pitch between the Bearcats and the Wildcats is set for 12 p.m. (PDT).