Bearcats Suffer Pair of Two-Run Setbacks at Pacific Lutheran

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

TACOMA, Wash. – The Willamette University softball team turned in a pair of strong performances on Sunday, March 27, but suffered two-run setbacks in both ends of a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Pacific Lutheran University.

The Lutes scored twice in the first and third innings while the Bearcats put up lone runs in the second and fourth to give the hosts a 4-2 win in game one. The hosts rallied with five runs in the fifth to claim the nightcap, 7-5. The Bearcats slip to 8-18 overall and 5-11 in the NWC. PLU improved to 18-10 on the season and 10-6 in conference play.

Lund Scores Twice in Game One Setback

Mia Lund (So., OF, Omaha, NE/Westside HS) scored once in the second inning and again in the fourth to produce both runs for Willamette in game one. She tallied one of the Bearcats' two hits, adding a walk and a stolen base.

Kelsey Wong (Sr., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) added the other hit for Willamette while Jordyn Johnson (So., P, Winslow, AZ/Winslow HS) pitched all six innings, holding the Lutes to just four hits while recording a pair of strikeouts.

Mari Foster drove in a run and scored on a wild pitch to give PLU a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lund drew a lead-off walk in the second and later scored on a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Lutes used a double and a pair of sacrifice fly outs to put two more runs on the board in the third inning. Lund would counter again in the fourth. She reached on a single, stole second, and made it home on a pair of wild pitches.

Fifth Inning Rally Lifts Lutes to 7-5 Win in Game Two

PLU rallied with five runs in the fifth inning to come from behind and capture game two, 7-5. Willamette put three runs on the board in the first and scored lone runs in the fifth and seventh innings. PLU scored runs in the second and third to cut the early deficit to 3-2 before taking the lead with the five-run fifth.

Brianna Majors (Jr., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) led-off the first inning with a walk and advanced to third on a steal and an error. She came in to score on a passed ball to put the Bearcats on the board. Willamette tacked on two more with an RBI single from Cassie Cosler (Sr., 1B, Albany, OR/West Albany) and a double off the bat of Jewel Fleckenstein (Sr., UT, Wasilla, AK/Mat-Su Middle College School).  

The Lutes used three straight singles to produce a run in the second inning. Erin McGrath added a solo homerun to cut the margin to 3-2 in the third. The Bearcats countered with three hits in the fifth to make the score 4-2 on an RBI single from Cora Erickson (So., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS).

PLU came back with six hits in the bottom of the inning. Foster started the rally with a solo homerun and Molly House later hit a three-run shot to give the Lutes a 7-4 lead.

The Bearcats had three straight batters hit by a pitch to start the top of the seventh. That led to a sacrifice fly from Erickson to cut the lead to 7-5. Faith Collar (Fy., P/UT, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) added a pinch-it single to load the bases before PLU was able to record the final two outs to secure the win.

Erickson finished with two RBIs while Lund and Cosler each went 2-for-3 in the nightcap. The Bearcats combined for nine hits in game two.

Upcoming Games for the Bearcats

The Bearcats return to Washington next weekend for a pair of doubleheaders at Whitworth University. They are scheduled for a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 2 and an 11 a.m. twin-bill on Sunday, April 3. (PDT)