By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
TACOMA, Wash. -- Brianna Majors (Fy, SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) of Willamette University belted a solo homer in the third inning of the first game, and teammate Bailey Hillmick (Jr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) smacked a two-run homer in the first inning of the second game, but the University of Puget Sound defeated the Bearcats 3-2 in each game, during a regularly scheduled doubleheader on Sunday, March 8. The pair of pitching duels were played following the completion of a game that was suspended due to darkness on Saturday. In the completion of the suspended game, the Loggers defeated the Bearcats, 12-10.
Puget Sound ended the day with a 4-7 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 4-9 on the season, 3-5 in the NWC.
Majors Belts Solo Homer Third Inning in Opener
Willamette took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opening game of the doubleheader, as Adele Benny (Fy, OF, Bee Cave, TX/Lake Travis HS) singled with one out and later scored. The Loggers surged into the lead in the bottom of the first, when Kaitlyn Webster belted a two-run double to left center to drive in Hana DeGuzman and Hailee Ueyama. Webster scored on a double by Marissa Oda.
The Loggers registered four of their five hits during the first inning. Bailey Hillmick (Jr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) went to the circle for Willamette at the start of the second inning, and limited Puget Sound to no runs and just one hit in five innings. Hillmick struck out five batters and allowed one walk.
Majors batted first in the third inning and connected with the ball for a home run, cutting Puget Sound's lead to 3-2. The Bearcats registered seven hits during the game, including two more in the third and two in the fifth, but the Bearcats were unable to tie the score.
In the top of the seventh, Glasgo was hit by a pitch with one out. She stole second base and went to third base when Hillmick flied out. A ground out ended the game. Benny was the only player for either team with more than one hit, as she went 2 of 4 with a run scored.
Puget Sound pitcher Noelle Kerr threw all seven innings and allowed seven hits and two runs. She struck out four batters and gave up one walk, while hitting three batters with pitches. Kerr improved to 2-1, while Glasgo dropped to 0-3.
Hillmick Connects on Two-Run Homer in Second Game
In the second game, Hillmick gave WU a 2-0 lead just four batters into the first inning when she blasted a home run. Majors, who singled to start the game, and was at third with two outs when Hillmick went to the plate, also scored on the play.
Puget Sound tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Oda walked and Abbi Wong singled down the left field line. Kerr followed with a double to left field to drive in Oda. Wong went to third on the play, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Abby Brondos.
Neither team scored in the third, fourth, fifth or sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, DeLuca singled for Willamette with one out. When Healy reached base on an error by the catcher, DeLuca moved to second, but was thrown out while attempting to reach third base. The Loggers broke the 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh. With one out DeGuzman pounded a triple into center field. Ueyama singled to center, which drove in DeGuzman from third base with the winning run.
DeGuzman was 3 of 4 for the Loggers. Kerr went 1 of 3 with a double and an RBI. Puget Sound held a 9-4 edge in total hits. Players with one hit each for the Bearcats were Hillmick, Knapp, DeLuca and Majors. Savanna Smith pitched all seven innings and improved to 1-4 on the season. Smith allowed four hits and two runs, while striking out five batters and giving up two walks. Ashley Medina (Fy., P, San Ysidro, CA/Otay Ranch HS) of Willamette fell to 3-4 with the loss.
The Bearcats will play at Lewis & Clark College next weekend in doubleheaders on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15. The first twinbill will start at 12 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday, while the second doubleheader will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
