By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Gianna Marchese (Jr., 3B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS/St. Martin's Univ.) blasted a solo home run for Willamette University in the third inning of the first game, and four Bearcats hit doubles in the second game, but Pacific University won both contests to open a four-game Northwest Conference series on Saturday, April 10. Pacific took the first game, 12-3, and added a 13-2 victory in the second game.
The Boxers advanced their record to 9-13 overall, 4-8 in the NWC. Willamette ended the day at 3-17 for the season, 2-12 in the NWC. The Bearcats and the Boxers will conclude the series with a doubleheader at the WU Softball Field on Sunday, April 11. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. (PDT).
In the first game, Pacific grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Jill Uyeda doubled to leadoff the stanza. She scored when Sydney Sahlfeld followed with a single down the right field line. With one out, Sahlfeld advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Elizabeth Young. Jayden Sykes drove in Sahlfeld with an RBI single through the right side.
Willamette pulled within 2-1 in the bottom of the third when Marchese batted first and sent the ball over the fence in left center.
Pacific extended its slim lead with three runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth for a 6-1 advantage. The fourth inning included a sacrifice fly by Kiana Kushiyama and a 2-run double by Montana Vaught. Sahlfeld hit a solo home run with one out in the fifth inning.
The Bearcats reduced the margin to 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Marchese and Marykate DeLuca (So., C, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) each connected for an RBI single during the frame.
Four runs by Pacific in the top of the sixth allowed the Boxes to pull away. Pacific added two runs in the top of the seventh.
Sahlfeld 3 of 5 for the Boxers with a homer, three runs, and three RBIs. Also recording three hits for Pacific were Vaught, Uyeda, and Nicole Martinez. Marchese of Willamette went 2 of 3 with a homer, two runs, and two RBIs. Allie Hancock of Pacific struck out two batters and allowed three runs -- two earned -- in the first four innings to earn the pitching win.
The second game also was a close battle after three innings. In the top of the first, Martinez hit a leadoff single to the circle, stole second base, and scored with one out on a single up the middle by Vaught. Willamette equalized the score in the bottom of the first when Bailey Hillmick (Sr., DP/UT, Athena, OR/Weston-McEwen HS) was hit by a pitch with two outs and crossed the plate on a double by Shaye Mott (So., P/1B, Livermore, CA/Granada HS). Mott went to third on a wild pitch, but a flyout ended the inning.
In the top of the third, the Boxers tallied two runs for a 3-1 edge. With one out, Hailey Miller singled and then scored on a double to left center by Uyeda. Sahlfedl batted next, and reached base on an error, as Uyeda scored from second base. Sahlfeld was thrown out at second 8-2-4 at the end of the play.
Pacific brought three runners across the plate in the fourth inning, before tacking on one run in the fifth and two runs in the sixth for a 9-1 lead. Vaught hit an RBI double in the fourth. In the sixth, Miller blasted a leadoff home run and Anika Matusomoto provided an RBI double.
WU scored a run in the bottom of the sixth. Brianna Majors (So., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) started the inning with an infield single. Marchese reached base on a fielder's choice as Majors was thrown out at second. Marchese scored on a double by Kendra Knapp (So., OF, Portland, OR/Sunset HS).
Martinez was 5 for 5 at the plate in the second game for Pacific. She scored three runs and earned one RBI. Miller was 3 of 4 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Marcee Nakamura went 3 for 3. For Willamette, Knapp was 2 of 3 with an RBI. Mia Lund (Fy., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) also went 2 of 3, while Majors was 2 of 4. Pacific starting pitcher Rylee Patton struck out five batters in five innings for the win.
