By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kendra Knapp (So., OF, Portland, OR/Sunset HS) of Willamette University earned two hits in both games and went 4 for 7 during the doubleheader, but Lewis & Clark College defeated the Bearcats, 6-1 and 9-5, in Northwest Conference softball action on Friday, April 2. L&C upped its record to 7-5 on the season, 3-3 in the NWC, while Willamette fell to 3-13 overall, 2-8 in the NWC. The teams will complete the four-game series with a doubleheader at the Huston Sports Complex on Saturday, April 3, starting at 12 p.m. (PDT).

In the opening game of the series, Lewis & Clark plated three runs in the first inning to take an early lead. With two outs, Olivia Brackin hit a single. Sydney Cross batted next and belted a two-run homer to center field. Samantha Gildersleeve followed with a solo home run to center.

Willamette cut the margin to 3-1 in the top of the third. Mia Lund (Fy., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) walked to start the frame and then stole second base. A sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Wong (Jr., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) advanced Lund to third. Lund scored on a single up the middle by Brianna Majors (So., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS).

Brackin opened the next half inning with a solo home run for L&C, increasing the home team's lead to 4-1. The Pioneers added a solo home run by Cross in the fifth inning and an RBI single by Cross in the sixth inning to complete the scoring.

Lewis & Clark earned 12 hits in the first game. Gildersleeve was 3 for 3, while Brackin and Cross each went 3 of 4 with two runs scored. Cross also recorded four RBIs, while Brackin drove in one run. Knapp finished 2 of 3 for the Bearcats, including a double. Bailey Hillmick (Sr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) was 1 of 2 with a double.

Pitcher Alyssa Abe of L&C struck out three batters and improved to 3-3 on the season. Hillmick pitched for WU and earned two strikeouts while taking the loss and moving to 2-4.

The Bearcats grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the second game. Lund singled up the middle to begin the contest. After Lund stole second base, Wong singled to center field and went to second on the throw as Lund crossed the plate. Wong moved to third on a groundout by Majors and scored on a single through the right side by Shaye Mott (So., P/1B, Livermore, CA/Granada HS). With two outs, Gianna Marchese (Jr., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.) singled. Mott and Marchese each advanced a base on a wild pitch, but the runners were stranded after L&C pitcher Jane Wilson recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

L&C scored five runs in the second inning to move in front. Cross and Gildersleeve hit singles with no outs. Both runners scored on a home run to right center by Wilson. After Kami Merrill reached base on an infield error, Kalea Kaui blasted a two-run homer to left center. The Pioneers tacked on a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Merrill.

In the top of the fifth, Willamette cut the lead to 6-3. Lund walked and went to second when Wong hit into an unsuccessful fielder's choice. Majors also hit into a fielder's choice, but the Pioneers failed to get an out for the second consecutive play. With the bases loaded, Mott drove Lund across the plate with a sacrifice fly to center field. A pop-up to the pitcher and a pop-up to the shortstop prevented WU from scoring additional runs.

Lewis & Clark earned two hits and left two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth. Gildersleeve connected on a 3-run homer for L&C in the sixth, giving the Pioneers a 9-3 edge. Willamette recorded two runs in the top of the seventh, as Wong scored on an RBI single by Mott, and Majors scored on a sacrifice fly by Hillmick.

The Bearcats finished with 10 hits in the second game, led by Mott with a 3-for-3 performance and three RBIs, and by Wong, who was 3 of 4 with two runs and an RBI. Knapp went 2 of 4 for WU.

Gildersleeve was 2 of 3 with two runs score for L&C. Brackin, Cross, and Wilson each went 2 of 4. Cross scored three runs, while Gildersleeve and Wilson each contributed three RBIs. Wilson pitched the first six innings and improved to 3-2 with the win. Mott pitched all six innings for Willamette.