Bearcats Sweep Saturday Doubleheader at Puget Sound, 7-3 and 6-5

Tacoma, Wash. - Willamette Softball bounced back from a frustrating Friday to sweep the Saturday doubleheader from Puget Sound, taking game one 7-3 and winning game two 6-5. After only scoring single runs in each of the games on the opening day of the series, the Bearcat bats came alive on Saturday as players contributed throughout the lineup. 

Game one got off to a good start for the Bearcats as they loaded the bases in the first when Maris Pinheiro singled, Emma Elliott reached on an error, and Faith Collar walked.  Lauren Stube doubled with two outs to bring home Pinheiro and Elliott to give Willamette an early 2-0 lead.

Puget Sound got one run back on a home run in the bottom of the first, but the Bearcats extended their lead in the third on another RBI double, this time by Faith Collar, scoring Desirae Hatfield.  Collar came home later in the inning on a double steal to put Willamette ahead 4-1.  

Elliott added to the RBI double parade in the fourth, scoring Mia Lund, and in the sixth inning, it was Jessica Liu's turn as she hit a double to center field that scored both Lund and Elizabeth Durrenberger to make the score 7-1 in favor of Willamette.  The Loggers scored single runs in the sixth and seventh, but Kenna Davis closed out the game with her 9th and 10th strikeouts of the game to seal the 7-3 victory.

Stube and Lund each had two hits for the Bearcats in game one, with Stube and Liu each leading with two runs batted in.  

The Loggers took their first lead of the day to start game two, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, but the Bearcats responded to tie the game 1-1 with a sac fly of their own when Lauren Stube brought home Faith Collar on a flyout to right field.

Willamette added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to pull ahead 4-2.  Mia Rogers singled home the run in the fourth, while Elizabeth Durrenberger scored on an error in the fifth and singled home Alexandra Richards in the sixth.

The Bearcats scored two more runs in the top of the seventh and ended up needing every one of them.  Three consecutive singles loaded the bases in the seventh and another single by Rogers brought home Collar and Desirae Hatfield to make the score 6-2.  After a walk to start the bottom of the seventh for the Loggers, Elizabeth Hillier was able to get the next two batters out before Puget Sound made things close.  Two doubles and a single cut the Bearcat lead to one at 6-5 and a stolen base put the tying run on base with two outs.  Lizzie Brasher came in to record the final out on a strikeout and earn the save.

Emma Elliott and Rogers each had three hits in game two to lead the Bearcats.  Collar scored two runs and Rogers had three runs batted in.

Softball returns home for their next series when they host Pacific University on Saturday, April 26th, and Sunday, April 27th.  First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for Noon.