Box Score
FOREST GROVE – The Pacific softball team saw its losing streak extend to nine games, falling twice to visiting Pacific Lutheran in a Northwest Conference twi-night doubleheader at Sherman/Larkins Stadium on Friday.
The No. 6-ranked Lutes shut out the Boxers 8-0 in six innings in game one before polishing off a season sweep with an 11-2, 5-inning victory in game two. Both games ended early via the 8-run mercy rule. With the victories, the Lutes kept pace with NWC-leading Linfield, improving to 16-4 in conference and 26-10 overall, while remaining three games behind the Wildcats in the standings in second place. The Boxers dropped to 6-14 and 8-20 with the losses, pushing them further away from playoff contention as they remain 5 ½ games out of fourth place.
The Lutes grabbed command of game two right away, scoring five runs in the first inning off Pacific starter Jenny Yano (Fr., Ontario, Ore.), who lasted just 1/3 of an inning. After Amanda Goings reached on an error to lead off the game, Haley Harshaw followed with a 2-run home run off the top of the wall in right center field. Hall added an RBI double and Lindsey Matsunaga drove her home with a solid single to right field, later scoring on an infield single by Katie Lowery.
The Lutes racked up nine of their 12 hits in the first two innings, taking a 7-0 lead on Matsunaga's two-RBI single in the second inning.
Pacific's lone offensive highlight came in the fourth inning, when
Jordan Mittelsdorf (Sr., Boardman, Ore.) followed
Lauren Tuey's (Sr., Redlands, Calif.) swinging bunt single with a screaming shot to centerfield that grazed the top of the wall, directly above the 215-foot sign on its way out of the yard. The 2-run shot was the Boxer backstop's fifth homer of the season, tying her with
Chelsey Chamberlain (Sr., Grants Pass, Ore.) for team lead. Mittelsdorf went 2 for 2 in the game as Pacific managed just four hits off the hard-throwing lefty Kaaren Hatlen (7-2), who pitched all five innings with one strikeout and two bases on balls.
Amanda Hall added two more hits, finishing the doubleheader 5 for 6 with a double, homer, three runs scored and four runs batted in. Hatlen reached base four times, scoring three runs for the Lutes. Matsunaga drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning, finishing 2 for 2 with three RBI and a run scored. Harshaw was 2 for 2 with two RBI and two runs sccored.
The Boxers get back on the field on short rest Saturday as they take on Puget Sound in a noon doubleheader at Sherman/Larkins Stadium. The Lutes continue on to Portland to face Lewis & Clark on Saturday.
