NEWBERG, Ore. -- The Bruins softball team had some give and take this weekend with a 5-12 loss in their first game, but bounced back with a 11-3 victory in the second.

How It Happened -- Game One
Fox struggled in the first inning, but made a strong effort to catch up to Linfield in the bottom of second when Bethany Wilkes hit a home-run to center field with an RBI. Shortly after, Sydney Sandfier also homered to center field with an RBI—the score now being 2-4.

The Wildcats improved their score in the top of fourth, but Fox regrouped in the bottom, Sydney Sandfier homered to center field with two RBIs, and then Nicole Campa scored a run right behind her. With zero left on base, the score stayed at 4-7.

Linfield jumped ahead again, but the Bruins stayed intact with one run and one hit. Brooke Riggins homered to center field with an RBI, and Sandifer flew out to center field in the bottom of the seventh inning. The final score of the first game was 5-12, as the Bruins made good contact with the ball.

How It Happened -- Game Two
The first inning was slow for both teams, but in the bottom of the second, Brooke Riggins advanced to third on a wild pitch. Then, Kiley Harris stole second while Riggins stole home. Eventually, Harris stole third, and Grace Wilson homered to left field with an RBI, bringing Harris home—the score was 3-0. Later on in the inning, Sharon Tomei homered to left field with two RBIs, scoring Tinley Taylor. That deep shot was record-breaking, as Tomei became the career home run leader at George Fox. To complete the inning, Makayla Noone homered to right field with an RBI, and the score stayed at 6-0, leaving Linfield nervous.

The Wildcats attempted to catch up, but Fox was too ahead. Right off the bat, Riggins homered to left field in the bottom of third. Then, Tomei blasted a home run to left field with three RBIs, advancing their score 10-2. Already at a strong point, Fox had one last run and hit for the day as Tomei hit a walk-off moon shot to center field for her third home run of the game, making the final score of the second game 11-3 in five innings. 

Top Performers
Sharon Tomei broke the career home run record, career RBI record, and hit three home runs in game two, as the Bruins hit 10 total home runs on the day. Grace Wilson hit her first career home run, Sydney Sandifer hit two home runs in game one, and Makayla Noone, Brooke Riggins, and Bethany Wilkes all hit it out of the park as well. Kiley Harris also added three walks and three stolen bases in game two.

Coach's Thoughts
"The team played with a lot of energy today, and came ready to battle," said Bruins head coach Nathan Ohta. "We had great at bats all day against two very good starting pitchers. This was a big win for us, and I'm proud of how the team played. Also, congrats to Sharon on the home run and RBI records!" 

Why It Matters
The Bruins are now 22-12 (16-6 NWC) on the season, and the Wildcats sit at 30-4 (20-2 NWC) total. Fox took down the No. 4 team in the nation and has now officially clinched the Northwest Conference tournament. If they win one of their last six games, they will clinch at least a third-place finish in the NWC. 

What Happens Next
The Bruins will continue to play against the Linfield WIldcats this Sunday, April 27 at the Curtis and Margaret Morse Athletic Fields. The first game is scheduled to start at 11:00 am.