Freshman’s Walk-off Grand Slam Stuns Defending National Champs
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Box Score - Game 2 |
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FOREST GROVE – Freshman
Ashley Mitchell's (Fr., Redmond, Wash.) walk-off grand slam helped the Boxers claim a 6-3 victory over No. 1 Pacific Lutheran to split in the Northwest Conference softball opener on Saturday afternoon at Sherman Larkins Stadium.
Mitchell's grand slam capped a five-run seventh inning to earn the Boxers their first Northwest Conference victory. Pacific Lutheran (1-1, 1-1) came back in the second game and used a six-run fifth inning to shutout the Boxers 7-0 for their first victory of the season.
The Boxers improve to 4-5 on the season and 1-1 in Northwest Conference play.
GAME 1
The Boxers scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Becca Moen (Jr., Gresham, Ore.) started the inning with a single through the right side.
Rachel Roberts (Fr., Oregon City, Ore.) singled to left field to advance Moen to second.
Marissa Reichard (Fr., Forest Grove, Ore.) singled through the left side to score Moen. Roberts and Reichard both advanced on the throw to home.
Jessie Moore (Fr., Portland, Ore.) was intentionally walked by the Lute's starter Kaaren Hatlen to load the bases for the Boxers. Kelsey Robinson came in to relieve Hatlen and with no outs and a three ball, two strike count, Mitchell blasted her first career grand slam over the right center wall.
Pacific Lutheran put up a run in the second inning after two walks by Boxer starter
Chloe Hanson (So., Trail, Ore.). Katie Lowery stole third, but was thrown out by
Kylee Oshiro (So., Aiea, Hawaii). Glenelle Nitta doubled to right center to score the Lutes first run of the game.
Hanson forced a pop up and two grounders in the third inning. The Boxers responded offensively when Reichard reached first on a Lute's error. Moore tied the game up 1-1 with a double to right-center.
The Lutes brought home one run in the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead Amanda Hall started off the fourth inning with a single up the middle. Lindsey Matsunaga singled down the left field line to advance Hall to second. Lower reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Lauren Watson hit a slow grounder to Roberts to score Hall.
Reichard came into relieve Hanson in the sixth inning after the Lutes gained a 3-1 lead. Lowery singled up the middle and Watson doubled to center field to score Lowery. Reichard came in and gave up one hit, but recorded two strikeouts to end the inning.
Mitchell led the Boxers at the plate, going 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Moore went 2 for 3 with one RBI and Reichard was 2 for four with an RBI.
Reichard recorded the win in the circle, striking out three and only allowing one hit in two innings of work. Hanson allowed three runs, all earned on six hits. She walked five and struck out four. Robinson (0-1) took the loss for the Lutes, allowing one run on one hit. Hatlen allowed five runs on 10 hits to go along with eight strikeouts and four walks.
GAME 2
The Lutes came back in the second game, but Boxer starter
Jenn Yano (So., Ontario, Ore.) threw four shutout innings before the Lutes scored the opening run.
In the fifth inning, Robinson started the inning with a single to center field. Haley Harshaw bunted for a hit, advancing Robinson to second. Harshaw and Robinson scored the opening runs on a throwing error by the Boxers. Spencer Sherwin scored the Lutes third run on a Nitta fielder's choice.
Sara Aasness (Jr., Kirkland, Wash.) came in relief for Yano with two outs. Robinson hit a 2-run single down the left field line, for her second at bat of the inning to take a 6-0 lead.
The Lutes capped the scoring with one more run in the sixth inning. With two outs Nitta reached on an error and advanced to second. She late scored on a double by Hatlen.
Oshiro led the Boxers at the plate, going 2 for 3. Moore and Roberts were both 1 for 3, while Moen was 1 for 2. Yano took the loss in the circle, allowing six runs, one unearned, on four hits. She struck out two batters and walked three in 4.2 innings of work. Aasness allowed one run, none earned on three hits with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work. Leah Butters claimed the victory in the circle for the Lutes. She held the Boxers to five hits with one strikeout and one walk.
The Boxers will play host to Puget Sound tomorrow. First pitch is at noon.
