Boxers Head To NWC Tourney After Sweep Of Loggers
Game 1 Box Score |
Game 2 Box Score
TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific softball team will be heading to the Northwest Conference tournament this weekend after a doubleheader sweep of Puget Sound on Tuesday at Logger Field. The Boxers finished the regular season tied for third in the NWC.
The Boxers finished tied with Whitworth with a 16-12 conference record. Whitworth owns the tiebreaker after winning two games against Linfield at the beginning of conference games and will be the No. 3 seed this weekend. The Boxers will make their first appearance in the tournament since the tournament was introduced in 2011 and will be the No. 4 seed.
Over the two games,
Kylee Oshiro (So., Aiea, Hawaii) led the Boxers at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two RBIs.
Marissa Reichard (Fr., Forest Grove, Ore.) picked up her ninth victory in the circle and
Sara Aasness (Jr., Kirkland, Wash.) collected her seventh victory in game two.
Game 1 – Pacific 4, Puget Sound 0
Reichard did not allow the Loggers to score, throwing seven shutout innings in the first game. She allowed six hits while striking out four and walking four.
The Boxers were scoreless until the fourth inning when Oshiro led off the inning with a single to third base.
Quirena Natividad (Fr., Waipahu, Hawaii) came into pinch run for Oshiro and scored the Boxers first run on an error by the second baseman.
Jenn Yano (So., Ontario, Ore.) blasted her first career home run over the center field wall to add two more runs for the Boxers in the top of the fifth inning. Before the blast
Rachel Roberts (Fr., Oregon City, Ore.) single to left field.
The Boxers added one more in the sixth inning.
Becca Moen (Jr., Gresham, Ore.) drew a walk. She advanced to second on a throw to the third baseman that caught
Megan Winans (Fr., Hood River, Ore.) stealing. On the play, Moen stole third and scored on the catcher's throwing error to third base.
Yano led the Boxers at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Oshiro went 1 for 2 while
Jessie Moore (Fr., Portland, Ore.), Roberts and Reichard each went 1 for 4.
Game 2 – Pacific 13, Puget Sound 5 (5 innings)
The Boxers opened the scoring in the first inning as Moen led off with a single to left field. Roberts then single to the infield and the two scored on Reichard's home run over the right field wall, her first career home run. The Boxers added two more in the inning when Oshiro started another rally with a single to right center.
Megan Sigler (Fr., Cottonwood, Idaho) came into pinch run for Oshiro and scored on
Ashley Mitchell's (Fr., Redmond, Ore.) blast over the center field wall, her fifth home run of the season.
The Boxers took an 11-1 lead after a six-run second inning. With one out, Moen drew a walk and Roberts singled to left field. Moen scored on Reichard's single to left field. Roberts and Reichard scored on a fielding error by the right fielder. Moore scored on Oshiro's sacrifice fly to right field. Mitchell pounded out her second home run of the game, in just her second at bat of the game, to center for two more runs.
Two more runs in the third inning capped the scoring for the Boxers. Moore doubled to left center to score Roberts and Oshiro hit a single to left field to score Moore. The Boxers ended the game in a five-inning fashion due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Aasness (7-4) threw the complete five innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits while striking out two and walking four. Mitchell and Oshiro went 2 for 3 at the plate. Oshiro tallied two RBIs, while Mitchell collected three. Reichard went 2 for 4 with four RBIs.
The Boxers will head to the Northwest Conference tournament this weekend, which will be hosted at Linfield, who won the NWC title. The Boxers first game will be against Linfield, the No. 1 seed, and first pitch will begin at 11 a.m.
