Softball Changes Schedule for Saturday to Tripleheader

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University softball schedule of games for Saturday, April 9 has been changed and will now be a tripleheader at the WU Softball Field. Willamette and #1-ranked Linfield College, will still play a doubleheader as originally scheduled, but first pitch will be at 11 a.m. (PDT), one hour earlier than planned. The day's schedule with conclude with a single game against the University of Puget Sound, set to start at 4 p.m.

Willamette, 13-12 overall and 10-7 in the Northwest Conference prior to a pair of games at George Fox University on Friday, will take on Linfield in a total of four games over the weekend. In addition to Saturday's doubleheader against the top-ranked Wildcats (29-2 overall, 18-1 NWC), Willamette will play Linfield in a second doubleheader on Sunday, April 10, starting at 12 p.m. (PDT).

The extra game on Saturday will allow the Bearcats and UPS to make-up a game that was canceled by the weather on March 27. The Bearcats and Loggers managed to play three of the four games in their scheduled series, but were unable to start the final game. Willamette won two of the three games that were completed.

Every NWC games seems to have extra meaning as the regular season winds down to the final games next weekend. The top four teams in the regular season NWC standings will advance to the NWC Tournament, which will be held April 22-23 at the top seed. In addition to Linfield at the top of the standings, other top contenders for making the tournament are Pacific Lutheran University (14-4 NWC), Willamette (10-7), Whitworth (9-7) and Pacific (10-8).