by Jared Beilby, Student Intern

NEWBERG, Ore. – Two strong efforts by members of the Willamette University pitching staff were enough to slow down the George Fox University offense, one of the most prolific in the Northwest Conference this season, as the visiting Bearcats defeated the Bruins 9-1 and 3-0 in a softball doubleheader here at Morse Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Bruins (10-4, 4-4 NWC) managed eight hits in the opener, but were limited to only three in the second half of the twinbill as the Bearcats (7-6, 6-5 NWC) swept the pair.

Game 1 – Willamette 9, at George Fox 1

In the opener, George Fox started strong as sophomore Kayla Anderson doubled, fellow sophomore Amanda Woods singled, and freshman Ashley Bunce was later walked with the bases loaded to force in Anderson, giving the Bruins an early 1-0 lead. Willamette tied things up in the next inning as freshman Myranda Ramiriz drove freshman Steffany Dunn in with a triple.

Neither team put up runs in the next two innings before Willamette sophomore Ashley Pender hit a two-RBI single and junior Amanda Absher hit a two-run homer in the next at bat to make the score 5-1  The Bearcats added another four in the top of the seventh as junior Erin Norris connected for a three-run deep shot and Dunn added an RBI single.

Anderson and Woods both led the Bruins with three hits each. Senior Erin Hento (5-2) went five innings in the circle with four strikeouts while allowing five earned runs for the loss. Woods pitched the other two innings for the Bruins. Freshman Jade Smith (5-1) went the distance for the Bearcats to earn the win.

Game 2 – Willamette 3, at George Fox 0

For the second act of the twinbill, Willamette scored a run in three separate innings to nab the win over the Bruins. In the first, Pender hit an RBI single, and the Bearcats scored a run in the sixth when Dunn walked with the bases loaded. In the seventh, freshman Mallory Asaro hit an RBI ground out for the final score.

The Bearcats finished with eight total hits compared to the Bruins' three. Anderson, freshman Kelsey Hansen, and senior Felicia Chavez were the three Bruins who connected to get on base. No extra bases were made by either side in the game.

Despite the loss, senior Allyssa DenDekker (3-2) had a solid outing on the stripe, pitching a complete game, striking out three and allowing only a pair of earned runs. Sophomore Victoria Bradshaw (2-1) scored the win, allowing three hits and walking seven in a complete game. 

NEXT: George Fox travels to McMinnville, Ore., to play Linfield College (14-0, 14-0 NWC) in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Sunday… Willamette will face host Pacific University (Ore.) in a doubleheader, also at 12 p.m., on Sunday.