CLACKAMAS, Ore. – A big seven-run 1st inning in the opener and a nine-run 2nd inning in the second game enabled Willamette University to open up insurmountable leads as the Bearcats swept the George Fox University Bruins 10-1 and 19-10, each game in five innings, in a Northwest Conference softball twinbill Saturday afternoon here at Hood View Park.

The doubleheader was moved to Hood View's artificial turf facilities due to wet grounds at George Fox's Morse Field.  Saturday's games, the first conference games of the season for both teams, were played despite wintery conditions that included temperatures in the upper 30's, wind gusts of up to 20 miles an hour, intermittent rain, sleet, sunshine, and the occasional snowflake.

Game 1 – Willamette 10, George Fox 1

The Bearcats jumped on top quickly against Bruin starter Taylor Whitmore (0-2) with a walk to Jessica Barry and a triple by Allison Martin.  Heather Winslow was hit by a pitch before a wild pitch scored Martin, and Courtney Galli singled in Winslow for a 3-0 lead.  Rachel Fielder replaced Whitmore, but the Bearcats kept up the assault, taking advantage of two Bruin errors to keep the inning alive and getting another triple, this one from Theresa Martin, to build a 7-0 lead before the Bruins even came to the plate.

Willamette added an unearned run in the 4th on a Bruin throwing error on a steal of second by Yvonne Drabin, Nicole Robertson scoring from third after the wild throw, and added two more in the 5th without a hit, thanks to two walks, two wild pitches, and two more throwing errors.  George Fox got its only run in the 4th on consecutive singles by Felicia Chavez, Bethany Chriss, and Mckynna Towerey that loaded the bases, followed by a ground out to first by McKenzie Beeson as Chavez scored.

Alex Watilo (2-2) went the distance for Willamette, allowing five hits with five strikeouts and one walk.  Towery had two of the Bruins' hits.  The Bearcats got only six hits, two by Allison Martin, but benefitted from six walks, four wild pitches, and five defensive errors.

Game 2 - Willamette 19, George Fox 10

Game two turned into a bizarre show that featured a combined 28 hits, 12 errors, and an offensive outpouring in the first two innings that took over an hour to play.

Willamette got four in the top of the 1st against George Fox starter Erin Hento (2-3), who also came back in for relief later in the game.  Barry scored the first run on a passed ball, Hope Kloczko and Mica Romero hit back-to-back RBI doubles, and Theresa Martin singled in a run.

Back came the Bruins with three of their own in the home half.  Kris Trindle reached on a throwing error to lead off, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Chavez double.  After a wild pitch, Chriss walked and stole second.  Another wild pitch scored Chavez, and Chriss came all the way home from second on a throw to the plate in an attempt to catch Chavez with no one covering.

The Bearcats exploded for nine runs in the top of the 2nd to go ahead 13-3 on six hits, two walks, and three Bruin errors.  Theresa Martin had the big blow of the inning, a two-run double, while Allison Martin and Robertson had RBI singles.  Two other runs scoring on one throwing error, and two more scored on a dropped infield popup.

George Fox battled back with six in the bottom of the frame, collecting six hits while benefitting from three errors and a passed ball.  Jenny Milton drove in one run with a double, and Chriss had a two-run single.  However, the Bearcats salted the game away with three more in the 3rd, one in the 4th, and two in the 5th.

The Bruins, meanwhile, could manage only one more score, Chriss singling off the leg of Willamette starter Hayley Glantz with the bases loaded to score Beeson in the 3rd.  That also knocked Glantz from the game and prevented her from getting the win, which went instead to Watilo (3-2), who threw 2.1 innings of one-hit shutout relief.

George Fox had 11 hits in all, with Chavez getting three and Trindle, Milton, and Chriss two apiece.  Chriss drove in three runs, while Trindle, Chavez, Chriss and Beeson scored two runs each.  Willamette had 17 hits, led by Theresa Martin, who went 4-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored.  Barry and Winslow had three hits each, and Kloczko and Robertson had two hits.  Barry and Winslow also scored three times apiece.

NEXT: George Fox (5-7) and Willamette (3-4) will conclude their NWC series with another doubleheader on Sunday at 12:00 noon, again at Hood View Park - weather permitting.