By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant
TACOMA, Wash. – The Willamette University softball team had some strong offensive performances on Sunday, April 3, but suffered a pair of losses in a doubleheader at Whitworth University. The Pirates improved to 23-9 overall and 13-7 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette dropped to 8-22 and 5-15 on the season.
Dose Goes 3-for-3, Hits Two Doubles in Game One Setback
Carrie Dose (So., 1B/P, Eugene, OR/Churchill HS) went 3-for-3 with two doubles in game one but the Pirates scored three runs in each of the first two innings to take the opener, 7-3, on Sunday. Cora Erickson (So., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS) added a pair of hits, going 2-for-3.
The Bearcats scored a run in the first with back-to-back doubles from Brianna Majors (Jr., 2B/SS, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) and Adele Benny (Jr., OF, Bee Cave, TX/Lake Travis HS). Whitworth countered in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Rylee Gentner made it 6-1 with a three-run homer in the second.
Willamette cut the deficit to three with two runs in the fourth. Erickson led-off the inning with a single and Dose doubled to score pinch runner Sophia Lucio (So., OF, Martinez, CA/College Park HS) before coming across herself to move the score to 6-3.
The Pirates added a run in the sixth on a solo homerun from Haley Montoya. Montoya led Whitworth at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
The Bearcats combined for nine hits in the game with Jordyn Johnson (So., P, Winslow, AZ/Winslow) adding an RBI single while going the distance in the circle, recording four strikeouts.
Dose Repeats 3-for-3 Performance, But Pirates Capture Game Two
Whitworth struck first in the nightcap, scoring on a two-run double from Delayna Waite in the second inning. They tacked on four more with the help of a three-run homer by Mattea Nelson in the third to lead 6-0.
Willamette pulled even, plating six runs in the top of the fourth. The Bearcats recorded three hits and capitalized on a pair of Whitworth errors in the inning. Dose led the charge with a two-run single while Benny added an RBI, drawing a walk with the bases loaded.
The Pirates countered immediately on the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs. Gentner brought in two with her second homerun of the afternoon.
Majors doubled in a run in the fifth and Gianna Marchese (Sr., 3B/1B, Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS) drove in a run in the sixth after the Pirates added three more in the bottom of the fifth for the final of 12-8.
Dose went 3-for-3 for the second straight game, adding two RBIs and drawing a pair of walks. Cassie Cosler (Sr., 1B, Albany, OR/West Albany) and Mia Lund (So., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) each went 2-for-5 and Kelsey Wong (Sr., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) scored a pair of runs.
The Bearcats are home next weekend. They host a pair of doubleheaders with George Fox. Saturday's first game is set for 12 p.m. with Sunday scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (PDT)
