CLAREMONT, Calif. — The Pacific softball team took down two more teams on their southern California trip, clipping Pomona-Pitzer 8-4 and then Whitier 9-1 on Friday at Pomona-Pitzer Stadium in Claremont.
The victories give the Boxers a 4-0 start to the season, after they also took two from California Lutheran on Thursday.
In their first game of the day, the Boxers exploded for six runs in the second inning and bashed out 13 hits in seven innings to cruise to the win over Pomona-Pitzer, 8-4.
Ashley Mitchell hit a two-run homer in the inning and three Boxer players had doubles before the Sagehens could get the third out.
Caitlyn Ramiscal had a two-double while
Quirena Natividad and
Morgan Bookout added two-baggers to give Pacific all the runs that they would need in the game.
Cassie Apple and
Allie Sims combined on the mound to hold the hosts to four hits and four runs. Apple went the first four innings to get the win. Both pitchers gave up two runs and two hits.
Pacific had three players with two hits each. Natividad continue her hot start by going 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Mitchell was 2-for-4 with three RBI and the home run, while
Haley Kodama went 2-for-4 as well. Ramiscal had one hit but it was the two-run double and she also scored twice.
It was the season opener for Pomona-Pitzer while Pacific improved to 3-0 with the win.
In the second game of the day, also played at Pomona-Pitzer Stadium, the Boxers struck early again and got solid pitching from
Marissa Reichard to secure the mercy-rule win.
Reichard improved to 2-0 on the year in six innings of work, allowing only two hits, a run, three walks and she fanned six.
Rachel Roberts gave Reichard an early lead with a lead-off home run to start the game. Roberts would later key a six-run fifth inning with a two-run double and would finish with three hits, three RBI and a stolen base--theft No. 100 of her career.
The Boxers had nine hits in the game, with Natividad notching two of them with a pair of doubles. She also drove in two runs and scored three times. Mitchell added two more base knocks, including a two-bagger and she drove in two more runs.
Whittier, who won the SCIAC tournament title last year and advanced to the NCAA Division III west region tournament, is now 3-2 in 2016.
The Boxers continue their southern California road trip on Saturday with a match-up at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The doubleheader begins at noon.
