NEWBERG, Ore. — After coming off two wins the day before, the George Fox softball team came back to finish and win their series with two more victories on their Senior Day; the first game ended with a dominant score of 5-1, while a huge sixth inning led the Bruins to take game two 7-6.
How It Happened - Game One
The Lady Bruins came out with high energy in the first and they were sure to make the most of it.
Riley Pirkle and GFU's defense made quick work of the Bearcats and it didn't take long until they were putting the ball in motion on the offensive end. Senior and lead-off hitter
Makayla Noone started things off with a hard-hit single to the left side, before she was able to sneak in a steal to second.
Tinley Taylor was able to create chaos in the field, and while she got out in the process, her hit was able to move Noone into scoring position at third. In the next at-bat,
Corine Doran popped up the ball, but it had just enough spin to cause Willamette's defense to slip; not only was Doran now safely standing on first, but the crucial error helped Noone come around to score for the first run of the game.
Despite two outs already down, George Fox's offensive streak was far from finished. With a runner on first,
Emily Benavidez was sure to make the most of the opportunity; on a go ahead pitch, Benavidez tattooed the ball over the left field wall for a two run dinger to further increase Fox' lead. Next up to the plate was Sami Stadlander and with a driving swing on a 2-2 pitch, she also sent a moonshot far over the left field wall for back-to-back Bruin homers. By the end of a dominant first inning — both on the offensive and defensive end — GFU took a massive 4-0 lead.
The next few innings became defense focused as both teams put up and didn't allow any more runs to cross home plate. It took until the fourth inning for the Bearcats to get on the board; they were able to string together some base-hits, and while George Fox was able to prevent any significant damage, Willamette was able to squeeze in one run to make the score 4-1. Despite their small offensive rally in the fourth, the Bearcats struggled to replicate it; while they were able to get a two in scoring position in the top of the sixth, Pirkle and Fox's defense was able to get three consecutive outs to get out of the inning unscathed.
It was in the very same inning that George Fox's bats came alive again. Taylor and Doran were able to put together back-to-back singles — which also brought in
Cami Nakamura and
Kylee Manibusan to pinch run — to put two runners on with no outs on the board. Benavidez approached the plate next, and while her grounder unfortunately got her out, it helped move the runners into scoring position at second and third. All it took was a Stadlander SAC fly to help Manibusan tag-up and come sliding into home shortly after. Willamette was able to get a runner on third in the seventh, but once again, GFU's defense was a wall they couldn't break through; after a dominant performance on both sides of the field from the Lady Bruins, they took the first game 5-1.
How It Happened - Game Two
Unlike the first game, Willamette was the first to put a dent in the score. After some base-hits, a strategic bunt, and a double, the top of the first ended with a Bearcat lead, but unfortunately for them it wouldn't last long. George Fox was quick to answer back;
Kayla Mashino started things off with a walk before a solid single from Taylor moved Mashino all the way into scoring position at third. Once again, Doran was the one to create chaos on the field and with a strong hit, she sent Willamette's defense into a panic. Taylor was able to make it to second and Doran made it to first on a Bearcat throwing error; in the midst of the mayhem, Mashino slid safely into home to begin the Bruins rally.
In the very next at bat, Benavidez barreled a 2-2 pitch for a shot to center field that scored Taylor to tie the game, but unfortunately got Doran out in the process. With two outs already on the board, it was up to Stadlander to make something happen, and that's exactly what she did. With a go-ahead swing, Stadlander smacked the ball out to center field, and while it bounded off the wall for a double, it had enough power to bring Benavidez home to take the lead. In just the first inning alone, the score became a close 3-2.
Over the next few innings, the Bearcats began slowly but surely chipping away at the score. They were able to get one run in both the second and the third, but thanks to pitcher
Allison Heater and GFU's defense, that was all that they were allowed. In both innings, Willamette had runners in scoring position, yet in each inning, the Bruins were there to shut down their offense and prevent any other damage. After a quick fifth inning, Willamette's bats came alive again; with a two run dinger to end their rally, the Bearcats were able to tie the game and more to take a 6-3 advantage.
It all came down to the last two innings for George Fox to make a comeback, and while the game was on the line, they remained resilient. Their own rally began with a one-two-three top of the sixth with Heater still in the circle, and that was all they needed to bring their energy back. After a Doran powerful double to start things off, Nakamura came in to pinch run and it didn't take long before she was showing off her speed on the base path; On a 2-2 pitch, Benavidez whacked a single out to center which helped Nakamura touch home plate to begin closing the gap in the score, 6-4.
With a first pitch swing from Stadlander, she gave the ball a ride to left for a single that also helped Benavidez reach second safely. With no outs on the board and the tying runs on base,
Charlotte Brooke came in to pinch hit, and she was sure to make the most of the opportunity. After fouling off three balls, she sent a frozen rope to right field for a game-changing double that scored both Benavidez and Stadlander to tie the game once again, 6-6.
The Lady Bruins began playing strategically as they searched for insurance runs. Senior
Brooklyn Alejo laid down a beautiful SAC bunt towards the left side that moved Brooke into scoring position at third.
Kiley Harris hopped onto the bunt train, and after laying one down, Brooke was able to come sliding safely into home to take back the lead. Once again, Willamette tried to rally back, but this time, they were unable to get past
Nicole Ledendecker in the circle; after going deep into the count with each batter, the Lady Bruins had a three-up-three-down top of the seventh to secure their second win of the day, 7-6.
After their wins, George Fox honored their seniors —
Brooklyn Alejo and
Allison Heater — and thanked them for their time in the program. The two had incredible careers at GFU and will be greatly missed as they head into this next season in their lives.
Top Performances
In the first game, Fox had a very consistent line-up all around and ended the game with six hits; Mayale Noone not only led the team in hits, but also in steals with two each. Seniors
Emily Benavidez and Sami Stadlander had two RBIs apiece, and each of the players recorded a homer in the first. Defensively, pitcher
Riley Pirkle was awarded the win, making her new record 5-9. The Lady Bruins came back for their second game and only continued to dominate on the offensive end. Benavidez and Stadlander continued to have a great day on the field and had two hits apiece this time around. For RBIs,
Charlotte Brooke along with Benavidez, each recorded two. For pitching,
Allison Heater was awarded the win while
Nicole Ledendecker received her first save; Heater's record is now 7-5.
What It Means
George Fox rises to 22-18 (16-12 NWC), while Willamette's record falls to 9-31 (6-22 NWC).
Coach's Thoughts
I was really happy for our seniors today," said Bruin head coach
Nathan Ohta. "I'm glad we could end their last games on our field with two wins. They all played key roles in our success today and this season, and it was great to end the day we spent celebrating them on a high note."
What Happens Next
The Lady Bruins are looking to continue their winning streak as they head into the Northwest Conference Tournament. The first day of competition will be on Friday, May 1, and it will be a doubleheader; opponent, time, and place are still to be determined.
