Lund, Pinheiro, and Hatfield Lead Offense as Bearcats Fall in Doubleheader vs L&C

Salem, Ore. - Willamette Softball dropped its first two conference games of the season as they lost both games of a doubleheader to Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, 7-4 and 14-6.  Mia Rogers had two hits and Desirae Hatfield two RBIs in the opening game, while Maris Pinheiro had three hits and Mia Lund two doubles in game two.

In game one, both teams went pretty quietly in the opening two innings before opening the scoring in the third.  The Pios struck first in the top of the third, scoring three runs on a pair of singles and a home run.  The Bearcats battled back in the bottom of the inning, taking the lead by scoring four runs of their own.  A double by Pinheiro, a single by Lund, and a walk to Alexandra Richards loaded the bases for Willamette.  Mia Rogers batted in the first run with a single and the second run scored when Emma Elliott was hit by a pitch.  Hatfield followed with a two-run double and Willamette led 4-3 at the end of the third.

The lead was short-lived as Lewis & Clark led off the fourth with consecutive doubles to score one run and a two-out single scored another to put the Pioneers up again, 5-4.  The Bearcats were not able to repeat their magic of the third inning and L&C scored two more runs in the top of the 7th to make the final score 7-4.

Rogers had two hits in the opening game, scoring one run and batting in another.  Hatfield's two-run double gave her the team lead in RBIs for game one, with Lund and Faith Collar each stealing a base.

The bats for Lewis & Clark came alive in game two and the Bearcats battled but were not able to keep up with the Pioneer offense.  Home runs in each of the first two innings and a series of base hits gave the visitors a 9-0 advantage through the top of the third inning.  Like in game one, Willamette was able to respond in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs on RBI singles by Pinheiro and Collar and a run-scoring groundout by Hatfield.

The Pioneers responded with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth to push their lead back to nine, but the Bearcats continued to fight.  In the bottom of the inning, Willamette scored three runs of their own.  Lund pounded her second double of the game after a Jenna Hopkins single and they both scored on consecutive singles by Elizabeth Durrenberger and Pinheiro.  After Elliott flied out to right, Hatfield earned another run batted in with a single to short that scored Durenberger to make the score 12-6.

Lewis & Clark scored two more runs in the fifth and Willamette was unable to answer, ending the game after five innings with the score 14-6.  Pinheiro had three hits for the Bearcats in game two, batting in two and scoring once.  Lund had two doubles and scored two runs, while Collar and Hopkins also recorded two hits each.  Hatfield had another two RBIs to give her four on the day.

The Bearcats look to even the series when they host the Pioneers again for two games on Sunday, March 9th.  The first pitch in game three of the series is scheduled for 11:00 am.