FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Southpaw Rachel Fielder and right-hander Erin Hento tossed complete-game gems, leading the George Fox University Bruins back into the win column with a 7-1, 6-2 sweep of the Pacific University Boxers in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon here at Sherman/Larkins Stadium.

With the twin wins, George Fox ended an eight-game losing streak and improved to 15-17 overall and 12-8 in the conference, tied for third in the league with Whitworth University.  Pacific dropped to 15-15 overall and 10-10 in the NWC.

Game 1 – George Fox 7, Pacific 1

In the opener, Fielder (4-5) gave up a 1st-inning unearned run, then shut out the Boxers the rest of the way, spacing eight hits while walking none.  Pacific scored its only run on singles by Becca Moen and Rachel Roberts, a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly by Jessie Moore.

George Fox tied it in the 2nd.  Bethany Chriss and Amanda Woods drew walks, and after Jenna Kirk hit into a force out at third, Fielder helped herself by singling up the middle to plate Woods.

The Bruin took the lead with two unearned runs in the 3rd.  Nicole Renteria and Kayla Anderson singled, and Renteria scored on an error at third on a grounder by Chriss.  Anderson reached third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Woods.

The game stayed 3-1 until the Bruins salted the game away with four in the 7th.  Renteria beat out an infield single and Anderson doubled her home, Woods singled in Anderson, Fielder singled home Woods following a wild pitch, and Genetta Bennett capped the rally with an RBI double.

The loss went to Marissa Reichard (7-4), who went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs, four earned, with two strikeouts and three walks. 

The Bruins had nine hits in all, with Renteria, Anderson and Fielder collecting two apiece.  Roberts had three hits and Kylee Oshiro two for the Boxers.

Game 2 –George Fox 6, Pacific 2

Hento (4-4) surrendered only five hits in winning the second game, and both of the runs she allowed in the 7th inning were unearned.  She had no strikeouts but walked none.

The Bruins jumped on top in the 1st, loading the bases with none out as Kat Hylton was hit by a pitch, Renteria bunted for a hit, and Anderson singled to short.  Chriss grounded out to short as Hylton scored, and Woods sacrifice bunted to score Renteria.

A four-run 6th gave Hento some breathing room.  Woods and Courtney Howard singled, and Chloe Hanson replaced starter Sarah Aasness (5-3) on the mound for the Boxers with two out.  Naomi Lee greeted her with an RBI single to right, and Felicia Chavez walked to fill the bases.  An error on Hylton's grounder to second kept the inning alive as Howard and Lee scored.  Renteria concluded the rally with a single up the middle to score Chavez.

The Boxers ended Hento's shutout bid by scoring one run on a dropped fly in right and another on a ground out in the last of the 7th, but it was too little, too late.  Renteria had three hits and Woods two to lead the Bruins, while Moore had a pair of safeties for the Boxers.

NEXT: George Fox hosts defending NWC champion, league-leading and ninth-ranked Linfield College next weekend, with doubleheaders at 12:00 noon on both Saturday and Sunday ... Pacific goes to the University of Puget Sound next Saturday for a 12:00 noon conference twinbill.