NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox University softball team found themselves in a grid-locked, pitchers' duel in the first game of their doubleheader against the Willamette Bearcats, but after winning that game, 1-0, the Bruins exploded for 11 runs, winning 11-3 in game two. 

How It Happened -- Game One
It was the Jordyn Relethford show in the first game of the day. The Bruins starting pitcher threw all seven innings and gave up just one hit on the day. Relethford walked the first batter she faced, her only walk of the day. The junior gave up a single in the third, but was lights out the rest of the way, as she didn't give up a run en route to a complete-game shutout. 

The Bruins offense struggled against the pitcher from Willamette starter Kenna Davis, picking up just two hits compared to one hit for the Bearcats. However, Sharon Tomei made the most of her only hit in game one, hitting a home run to deep center field to lead off the fourth inning. The homer gave the Bruins a one-run lead, which would end up being plenty, as Relethford shut down the Bearcats in the last three frames, allowing just a single base runner while slamming the door shut on the Bearcats. 

In the final half inning, Relethford forced a pop-up, ground out, and a fly out to end the game, with a 1-0 win for GFU.

How It Happened -- Game Two
The first game of the day was over in just one hour and fifteen minutes, as the offenses combined for just three total hits and one run. The second game was a much different story, as the two teams saw much more offensive production and runs scored. The Bearcats jumped out first, putting up three runs on the Bruins starter in the first inning after loading up the bases multiple times. The Bruins brought in Allison Heater in relief in the first, who got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to end the half inning. 

The Bruins responded with a pair of runs themselves, as Tomei and Makayla Noone hit back-to-back singles with nobody out. Tomei and Noone both advanced on a passed ball, moving them to second and third for Kiley Harris, who hit another single to score Tomei, and advanced to second when Noone was thrown out at third. Harris was driven home when Bethany Wilkes hit an RBI single, scoring 3-2 with the Bearcats on top at the end of the first inning. 

Heater shut down the Bearcats in the second with three quick ground outs, bringing the Bruins bats right back up, and they used a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases for Tomei with no outs. Tomei delivered, hitting a hard-hit line drive for a two-RBI single to give the Bruins the lead, 4-3. With runners on the corners, Noone hit a sacrifice fly that scored another run from third. A pair of pop-ups ended the inning, with GFU now on top, 5-3. After another 1-2-3 inning from Heater, Sydney Sandifer stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the third with runners on second and third with nobody out, and promptly hit a sacrifice fly to left that increased the Bruins lead, 6-3. 

The Bruins offense sealed the game in the fourth inning, going off for four runs in the frame. Tomei opened the inning with a double, then Noone moved Tomei to third with a sacrifice bunt. Harris hit an RBI single that scored Tomei after that, and Nicole Campa followed her with another single to put two runners on with one out. Brooke Riggins then hit a long fly ball off the wall that ended up being a two-RBI triple. With Riggins on third, Sandifer hit a hard ground ball through the left field side that scored the fourth and final run of the inning, giving the Bruins a 10-3 lead. Fox would score another in the bottom of the fifth inning, which ended the game on the eight-run mercy rule that is in effect after the fifth inning. After only five innings of play, the Bruins offense racked up 14 hits compared to just two strikeouts and scored 11 runs in the 11-3 victory. 

Top Performances
Sharon Tomei went 4-6 on the day, hitting three RBIs and a home run over the two wins. Brooke Riggins went 2-3 in game two with an RBI triple, and Makayla Noone went 2-2 with two RBIs. Jordyn Relethford threw seven innings of shut-out softball, striking out three and only surrendering one hit in the 23 batters she faced. Allison Heater picked up the win in game two, throwing four and third innings, striking out three while not giving up a hit after coming in as relief. 

Coach's Thoughts
"These were a couple of important games for us in terms of post-season positioning," said Bruins head coach Nathan Ohta. "We came out with a lot of energy today. Our defence was outstanding, and we got the big swings when we needed them."

What It Means
The Bruins improve to 16-10 (10-4 NWC), and Willamette falls to 12-10 (4-8 NWC). 

What Comes Next
The two sides wrap up their four-game series against each other on Sunday, April 13 at the Morse Athletic Field in Newberg, Ore.