CLACKAMAS, Ore. - After slugging three home runs on the way to an 8-0 win over the College of Idaho Lady Coyotes in their first game of the day, the George Fox University Bruins later surrendered four of them in a 13-6 loss to the Northwest Christian College Beacons in the Northwest Cup softball tournament Sunday here at Hood View Park.

Bethany Chriss slammed a three-run homer and Becka Doyle and Shelby Briske added solo shots, the first of the season for each of them, to back the five-hit shutout pitching of Erin Lee (2-0) in the Bruins' first game.  The senior right-hander fanned three and walked one in blanking the defending Cascade Collegiate Conference champions and the NAIA Division II's pre-season No. 15 team in the nation.

The Bruins struck for a pair of runs in the 3rd inning against the Lady 'Yotes' Kyla Bryant (1-1) to give Lee all the runs she would need.  Nicole Renteria singled, Chriss walked, and both advanced on a wild pitch before Briske delivered them with a single to right. 

Chriss homered to left off reliever Ashley Wolff in the 4th following walks to Serena Lee and Renteria.  Doyle went deep to left in the 5th, and Briske's drive to center in the 6th was the first Bruin run of the frame.  They added an eighth run later in the inning as Kerianne Davidson was hit by a pitch, Shelby Klein singled to left, and Erin Lee helped her own cause with a soft single to right to plate Davidson.  The game ended after six innings because of the 'eight-run mercy' rule.

The Bruins banged out 10 hits, with Briske and Klein getting two each, and Briske and Chriss each drove in three runs.  Kalie Kurdy had two of the Lady 'Yotes' five hits.

In the second game, the Beacons jumped on rookie right-hander Taylor Whitmore (1-1) for five in the 2nd, although four of them were unearned due to a throwing error in the frame.  Cassie Bishop hit a one-out solo home run with one out in the inning, and a second run scored following singles by Corrie Gustafson and Kristen DeHaven when Whitmore threw away Jonni Byrne's sacrifice at first.  Emma Armstrong then unloaded a three-run shot to center.

The Bruins battled back with three in the last of the 2nd as Amy Peterson singled, Doyle walked, Serena Lee tripled to right-center to send them both home, and Renteria singled up the middle to plate Lee.  The Beacons got two of them back in the 4th, however, on RBI singles by Armstrong and Brittany Robles.

A three-run 4th brought the Bruins within a run at 7-6.  Peterson singled, Doyle doubled, and Serena Lee was hit by a pitch to open the inning.  After a pop out and a force play at the plate by Chriss, Briske doubled to the gap in left center to score all three runners. 

It was the Bruins' last threat, though, as the Beacons put the game away with one in the 5th and two in the 6th off reliever Erin Lee, and three in the 7th off Briske.  Megan Mazanec and Cassie Bishop hit solo home runs in the 6th, and Brooke Davis doubled in two in the 7th.

Rebecca Lillegard went three innings as the starter for the Beacons and Jenna Royce (1-0) pitched the last four, striking out three with no walks, to get the win.  The Beacons collected 14 hits, with Davis and DeHaven getting three each and Armstrong, Gustafson, and Bishop two apiece.  Serena Lee, Renteria, Briske and Peterson had two hits each out of the Bruins' total of 10.

George Fox (3-1) returns home Saturday to host Eastern Oregon University in a non-conference doubleheader at 12:00 noon.