FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Pacific broke out the heavy sticks in game one during a 7-4 softball victory over George Fox, but ran into Bruin ace Madison Sorensen in game two as the visitors gained the split, 3-1.
The two teams remain even in Northwest Conference action at 10-8, with another doubleheader looming on Sunday at Sherman/Larkins Stadium (noon). George Fox is now 20-10 overall and Pacific is 18-11-1.
In game one, the Boxers lashed out 14 hits and scored in every inning except the second and third.
Ashley Mitchell drove in a run with a single in the first, pitcher
Marissa Reichard plated two with an infield single in the third,
Quirena Natividad added an RBI base hit in the fifth and
Kylee Yamamoto had a two-run double in the sixth to left-centerfield.
Meanwhile Reichard worked out of a few jams in the pitcher's circle, giving up three earned runs, five walks and eight hits in seven innings. She had to throw 121 pitches to get the victory, improving to 12-5 on the year. She fanned six Bruin batters.
Four Boxers had two hits each in Pacific's 14-hit attack —
Kaitlynn Donaca, Yamamoto, Mitchell and Natividad. Reichard helped her own cause with a 3-for-3 game at the plate.
Kat Hylton had three hits for George Fox, including a double.
The second game was much different. Sorensen dominated from the outset, not allowing a hit until
Cindy Chan and
Rachel Roberts got in the scorebook in the third inning. But she allowed only two more hits in six total innings of work, fanning five and walking two. She improved to 8-3 on the season.
Amanda Woods gave the Bruins all the runs that they would need with a three-run bomb in the fourth inning to deep left-center.
The Boxers added a run in the seventh once Sorensen was out, when Chan singled again, moved to third on a Roberts base hit and scored on Donaca's fielder's choice. But the rally would end with Roberts stuck on third as Abbie Bergerson got the final two outs to earn the save.
Kimi Ito had three hits for the Bruins, as did Roberts for the Boxers.
Cassie Apple took the loss (2-1), pitching the first four innings.
Allie Sims came on in relief and didn't allow a run, pitching three innings. She gave up only one hit, but also walked five batters.
The Boxers are in a three-way tie for fourth place with the Bruins and Pacific Lutheran, yet are only two games out of first place.
