GEORGETOWN, Texas – Getting their 2013 softball season off to a sizzling start, the George Fox University Bruins swept the Southwestern University Pirates, winning 3-1 in the opener and coming from behind for an 11-3 second-game victory, in a non-conference twinbill on a chilly, wind-swept Friday afternoon here at Taylor-Sanders Field.

Game 1 – George Fox 3, at Southwestern 1

Allyssa DenDekker (1-0) threw a complete-game six-hitter and the Bruins jumped on the Pirates for all the runs she would need in the first inning en route to victory in the first game of the season for both teams.

The Bruins got on top with a leadoff double by Amanda Woods and an RBI single up the middle by Kayla Anderson.  Bethany Chriss lined a double off the third baseman's glove that allowed Anderson to reach third, and Anderson raced home on an attempt to catch Chriss at second.  Kat Hylton singled in Chriss to cap off the three-run frame. 

The Pirates got their only run in the home half on a double by Karen Ramirez and an RBI single by Kayla Irvin.  DenDekker was stingy thereafter and took advantage of her defense, recording no strikeouts but walking only two.

George Fox collected nine hits in all, Chriss going 3-4 and Felicia Chavez 2-3 with a double, while Ramirez went 2-4 for Southwestern.  Kelsey Kingston (0-1) went the distance on the hill for the Pirates, striking out three with three walks.

Game 2 - George Fox 11, at Southwestern 3

A grand slam home run by Woods to cap a six-run fifth inning and a fine relief effort by Erin Hento (1-0) gave the Bruins the win in the nightcap in a game shortened to six innings by the NCAA's eight-run 'mercy' rule and the opening-day sweep.

After the Bruins loaded the bases with none out but failed to score in the top of the first, the Pirates took the lead with a pair of runs in their half.  Ashleigh Scott drew a one-out walk, Teresa Galloway singled, and after a ground out moved the runners up, Jessica Bryant singled to left to drive in two. 

The Bruins got one back in the second when Woods hit a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Kerrianne Davidson, who had walked and advanced to third on a double by Rachel Fielder, but the Pirates equaled it in the bottom of the stanza on an infield single by Linsay Biggers and an RBI double by Scott. 

George Fox tied it with unearned runs in the third and fourth innings.  The first one came as Chriss reached on a throwing error by pitcher Tamara Beliliove and scored all the way from first on Davidson's two-out double to right-center.  The tying run was the result of a two-base throwing error by catcher Abigail O'Connor on a bunt by Chavez, a single by Woods, and a run-scoring ground out by Jenna Kirk.

The Bruins broke it open in the fifth.  After loading the bases on a walk to Chriss, an error on Nicole Renteria's bunt, and a single by Davidson, Fielder delivered a two-run double to right-center.  Chavez walked with one out, and Woods cleared the bases with a shot to left-center on a 3-2 pitch. The Bruins added two more unearned tallies in the sixth.

Hento relieved George Fox starter Taylor Whitmore in the second after Southwestern had taken a 3-1 lead and struck out Kayla Irvin with runners at second and third to prevent further damage, then scattered four hits over four scoreless innings to get the win.  She fanned one and walked none, and was helped by a deftly-turned 4-6-3 double play in the fifth.

The Bruins had only seven hits off three Pirate hurlers, but they were timely and were aided by five home team errors.  Woods had three hits, falling a triple short of the cycle, and five RBIs, while Davidson and Fielder had two hits apiece, Fielder with two doubles and Davidson with one.

Kingston (0-2) pitched the final 3.1 innings for the Pirates and suffered her second setback of the day.  Biggers had a third of the Pirates' nine hits, going 3-3, while Galloway had two hits.

NEXT: George Fox will take on Howard Payne University in a neutral-site doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Central time (12:00 noon Pacific) at the Vista Ridge High School softball field in Cedar Park, Texas. … Southwestern (0-2) goes to Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, for two on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.