Bearcats Take Two More From Pacific, 3-0 and 8-1, to Sweep Weekend Series

Salem, Ore. - Willamette Softball swept Sunday's doubleheader with Pacific to take all four games from the weekend series against the Boxers.  Kenna Davis and Lizzie Brasher earned the wins again and Maris Pinheiro led the Bearcats at the plate with two hits in each game.

Willamette got off to a strong start in game one, loading the bases in the first inning after Pinheiro walked and Emma Elliott and Desirae Hatfield both singled.  Mia Rogers singled with one out to score Pinheiro and give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the second inning it was Pinheiro's turn to bat in a run when her two-out triple scored Mia Lund, who had singled and stolen a base.

Davis continued to control the Boxers, giving up a few hits but keeping Pacific off the scoreboard throughout the opening innings and watching her team continue to put runners on base.  Willamette added to its lead in the fourth when Alexandra Richards singled to center and advanced to third on a single by Pinheiro.  That allowed Richards to come home on a wild pitch to make the score 3-0 in favor of the Bearcats.

The Boxers were able to load the bases in the top of the seventh with three consecutive singles with one out.  Davis was able to get the next batter to pop up to second for the second out and struck out the final batter to end the game.  Davis finished the complete-game shutout, giving up six hits and striking out seven.

The Bearcats got off to another good start in game two with Pinheiro and Elliott each singling and Pinheiro coming home on a throwing error on a bunt by Hatfield.  Faith Collar scored Elliott with a sacrifice fly and Hatfield came home on a single by Mia Rogers to put Willamette ahead 3-0 after the first inning.  

Willamette scored two more in the second when Mia Lund tripled home Richards, who had walked to lead off the inning, and scored on a sac fly by Elliott to make the score 5-0.  The Boxers scored one in the top of the third on a home run, but the Bearcats answered with a run of their own when Jenna Hopkins doubled to bring home Lizzie Brasher.

Willamette scored single runs again in the bottom of the fourth and the sixth to make the score 8-1, and Brasher set Pacific down in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game.  Brasher gave up only two hits in the complete game and struck out seven Boxers to pick up her fourth win on the season.

Elliott, Hatfield, and Pinheiro each had two hits to lead the Bearcats.  Elliott drove in three runs for the team lead and Pinheiro and Lund each scored twice.

The Bearcats close out the regular season by hosting Linfield University on Saturday, May 3rd, and then traveling to play at Linfield on Sunday, May 4th.