By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
SALEM, Ore. -- Ashley Medina (Fy, P, San Ysidro, CA/Otay Ranch HS) of Willamette University overcame two early solo home runs by Pacific Lutheran University to toss a complete-game six-hitter, and Brianna Majors (Fy, SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) belted a two-run homer for insurance runs in the sixth inning, as the Bearcats downed the Lutes, 6-3, in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 29. Pacific Lutheran scored six runs in the third inning of the second game to break to a 1-1 tie, and the Lutes went on to claim a 9-3 win.
The split of the Northwest Conference doubleheader at the WU Softball Field left Willamette at 2-5 overall and put Pacific Lutheran at 3-5. Both teams ended the day at 1-1 in the NWC. The Bearcats and Lutes will complete the four-game series with another doubleheader on Sunday, March 1 starting at 11 a.m. (PST).
"A lot of good things came out of today. Medina threw a great first game and our bats came alive. We need to be ready for a tough two games tomorrow to conclude the series with PLU."
— Willamette Head Coach Paige Hall
Willamette hit .340 as a team during the doubleheader, while Pacific Lutheran batted .323. The Lutes held a 3-1 advantage in home runs, but Willamette earned a 7-6 edge in doubles, including two by Shaye Mott (Fy, P/1B, Livermore, CA/Granada HS) in the second game.
Bearcats Score Six Runs on 10 Hits in First Game
The Bearcats earned 10 hits in the opener, including four hits during a four-run second inning. Willamette's big second inning offset solo home runs for PLU by Mari Foster with two outs in the first inning and by Sarah Potwin with two outs in the top of the second.
Marykate DeLuca (Fy, C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) batted first for the Bearcats in the second inning and hit a single down the left field line. Bailey Hillmick (Jr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) singled to center. Kelsey Wong (So., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) moved up both runners with a sacrifice bunt between home and third. Vanessa Almaraz (Sr., OF, Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley HS) was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
With two outs, Adele Benny (Fy., OF, Bee Cave, TX/Lake Travis HS) blasted a two-RBI double to left center, scoring DeLuca and Hillmick. Jocelyn Glasgo (Sr., P/OF, Rochester, WA/Tumwater HS) followed with a single to left center that drove in Almaraz and Benny. The Bearcats owned a 4-2 lead.
Medina kept the Lutes from earning a hit in the third, fourth and fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, Pacific Lutheran received consecutive one-out singles by Cailey Collado and Foster. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, but Medina escaped the jam by getting Erin McGrath to pop-up to second base and forcing Mikayla Chun to fly out to right field.
In the bottom of the sixth, Glasgo was hit by a pitch with one out. Majors batted next and sent the ball over the right field fence, expanding Willamette's lead to 6-2.
The Lutes threatened in the seventh inning. Chaella Galapon reached base on an infield error, went to second on a one-out single by Sydney Victor, and scored on a double to left by pinch-hitter Kennadi Wuebel. Raynna Mekaru ran for Wuebel. Nicole Manuel hit a line drive into left center on the first pitch she faced, but Almaraz made a diving catch with the ball barely above the ground. Almaraz threw to second base where Payten Healy (So., SS, Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS), the shortstop, doubled off Mekaru, who did not tag up.
Medina struck out two batters, while allowing six hits and one walk. She evened her record at 2-2 on the season. Kennedy Robillard of PLU fell to 0-3 after giving up six runs and 10 hits. Robillard accumulated five strikeouts and walked one batter, but three of her pitches hit batters.
For WU, Hillmick was 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored. Majors went 2 for 4 with her two-run homer. DeLuca went 2 of 4 with a double and one run scored. Glasgo was 1 for 3 with a run and two RBIs. Foster was the only Lute with more than one hit, as she provided PLU with a 2-for-3 performance.
Lutes Gain Control in Third Inning of Second Game
Willamette and Pacific Lutheran were tied at 1-1 after both teams plated a run in the second inning. In the top of the third, the Lutes surged in front by scoring six runs on five hits. Each team added two runs during the remainder of the game, as PLU prevailed, 9-3.
Nanea Kalama of Pacific Lutheran gave the Lutes a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with a leadoff homer to center field. In Willamette's half of the inning, Gianna Marchese (So., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.) batted first and singled up the middle. One out later, Mott drove home Marchese with a double to center field.
The six-run third inning for PLU began with a single to left center by Collado. Galapon was hit by a pitch, and then Foster hit an RBI double to left field. Other key hits during the inning were RBI singles by Kalama, Wuebel, and Anna Foster.
WU reduced the margin to 7-2 in the bottom of the third when Majors singled with one out and DeLuca blasted an RBI double to left field with two outs. McGrath and Kalama produced back-to-back doubles to score a run for PLU in the top of the fourth. Marchese started the bottom of the fourth with a double, and later scored on an RBI single by Benny. In the top of the fifth, Anna Foster doubled and eventually scored on a single by Galapon.
Pacific Lutheran pitcher Z Ellis struck out eight batters, walked two batters and allowed eight hits, while improving to 2-1. Hillmick, who started in the circle for Willamette, fell to 0-1. Glasgo pitched for three innings. Mott tossed the final two innings and limited the Lutes to no runs, two hits and a walk.
Kalama was 3 of 4 with a homer, one run and three RBIs. Gallapon and Anna Foster each went 2 of 4 with a run and an RBI. Mari Foster was 2 of 5 with a double, a run and an RBI. For the Bearcats, Mott was 2 for 2 with two doubles and an RBI. Marchese finished 2 of 3 with a double and two runs scored.
