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

SALEM, ORE. -- After playing four non-conference games in the middle of the week, the Bearcats will return to Northwest Conference softball action this weekend, as Willamette University hosts George Fox University on Saturday, March 28 and plays at Pacific University on Sunday, March 29. The Bearcats will compete in a doubleheader each day starting at 12 p.m. (PDT).

Willamette won three of four mid-week games. On Tuesday, March 24, the Bearcats lost to Northwest Nazarene University, 9-3, but defeated College of Idaho, 8-3. On Wednesday, March 25, WU swept a doubleheader from Northwest Nazarene, 10-6 and 21-12 on the run rule in six innings. All four games were played at NNU's field in Nampa, Idaho.

The Bearcats have recorded five wins in their last six games, while improving to 6-14 on the season. Willamette is 3-7 in the NWC. George Fox enters Saturday's twinbill with a 20-4 overall record, including 10-2 (1st place) in the NWC. Pacific begins the weekend at 17-9, 7-5 in the NWC. The Boxers will play at Linfield College on Saturday before hosting the Bearcats on Sunday.

Myranda Ramirez (So., CF, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) continues to lead the Bearcats on offense with a .511 batting average (23 of 45). Ramirez has scored 11 runs and registered 12 RBIs. Molly Lathrop (So., OF, Maple Valley, WA/Tahoma HS) is hitting .400 (10 for 25) on the season.

Willamette has three other players batting above .330. They are Ashley Pender (Jr., 2B, Reno, NV/North Valleys HS), Kayla Rieger (Sr., 3B/OF, Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS/Adelphi Univ.) and Heather Winslow (Sr., 1B, Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS).

Pender has achieved a .351 average with 12 RBIs, and is tied with Rieger for first on the team with six doubles. Rieger owns a .344 average with a team-high 15 runs. She is tied with Winslow for first place on the team with 13 RBIs. Winslow is hitting .339 with 12 runs and five doubles. She leads WU with 136 putouts at first base and has a.980 fielding percentage.

The Bearcats are batting .300 as a team with 108 runs and 92 RBIs. WU has pounded out 31 doubles, six triples and seven homers. Ramirez and Winslow are tied for first on the roster with two home runs.

Jade Smith (So., P, Chico, CA/Chico HS) tops the pitching staff with a 3.56 earned run average and a 4-5 record. She has registered 26 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. Hayley Glantz (Sr., P, Reno, NV/Robert McQueen HS) ranks first with 12 appearances, and has attained 14 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings.

George Fox is batting .322 as a team, while limiting opponents to a .246 batting average. Annie Veatch (Fr., UT) is batting .453 (24 of 53) with 18 runs, 19 RBIs and 11 walks.

Kayla Anderson (Jr., INF) owns a .414 average. She leads the Bruins with 36 hits, 87 at bats, 25 runs, 30 RBIs, nine doubles and five homers. Alex Parker (Fr., UT) is hitting .408 for the season.

Courtney Howard (Jr. C) ranks second for GFU with 22 runs scored. She also leads the team with 122 putouts as a catcher this season. Rebecca Smith (Fr., INF) has scored 18 runs, while walking a team-high 12 times. She has provided speed on the base paths while going 9 for 10 on stolen bases.

Two freshmen have provided excellent pitching for the Bruins. Madison Sorensen has a 1.89 ERA and a 7-1 record with 58 strikeouts and 19 walks in 55 2/3 innings. Abbie Bergerson is 11-2 with an 1.91 ERA. She has struck out 43 batters in 80 2/3 innings.

Pacific's top hitter is Jessica Hotaling (Jr., P/OF), who is batting .407 with 15 runs scored. Kiera Melton (Sr. OF) has a .375 average, while Margaret Bachmeier (Jr./So., OF) and Marissa Reichard (Jr., P) are both hitting .368.

The team leaders in at bats are Rachel Roberts (Jr., IF) with 86 and Ashley Mitchell (Jr., IF) with 83. Mitchell ranks first on the team with five homers and 27 RBIs. She is tied for second with 15 runs scored. Roberts leads the Boxers with 17 runs scored and has stolen 17 bases on 21 attempts. Quirena Natividad (Jr., IF) has scored 15 runs and has hit a team-high eight doubles.

Reichard is 8-4 in the circle with a 0.89 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 79 innings. Hotaling has contributed a 13-8 record and a 2.71 ERA. Overall, the Boxers possess a 2.24 team ERA.