Boxers Split Doubleheader with No. 22 Linfield
The Pacific softball team split a doubleheader with No. 22 Linfield on Monday, dropping game one, 9-8 and winning the nightcap, 6-0.
In both games, Pacific had double-digit hits in back-to-back games with 12 and 13 hits, respectively for the first time on the season. In game one, five-different Boxers –
Haley Kodama,
Nicole Martinez, Katelyn Macatis-Smith,
Trisha Snydar and
Kaitlynn Donaca – had two hits; plus
Hailey Miller had three RBI and Martinez drove in a pair. In game two,
Montana Vaught and Donaca each had three hits to lead the Boxers. Plus, Vaught and Donaca accounted for five of the six RBI to complement a standout pitching performance by
Erin Shick, who limited the Wildcats to four hits in the shutout.
Pacific started the doubleheader with a 5-0 lead, scoring five times in the third inning for the early lead before the Wildcats came back with seven en route to an 9-8 win.
In the third inning, the first three Boxers reached base on singles before Martinez hit a two-RBI single for the early lead. Then, a RBI double by Macatis-Smith and a well placed bunt by Miller brought in another Boxer run to extend the lead to 4-0. Pacific added to its lead when
Trisha Snydar singled in Miller to stretch the advantage to 5-0.
Linfield scored three runs on three hits in the fourth inning, cutting the lead to 5-3. Then, they scored four on a grand slam by Makenna Clizer to take a 7-5 lead in the fifth inning.
Facing a two-run deficit,
Haley Kodama had a two out, RBI double in the sixth to cut the deficit to 7-6. Then, the Wildcats added to their lead with two more runs in its half of the sixth inning for 9-6. In the seventh, Miller hit a two-run home run to make it a one-run game with none out. A fly out, strikeout and line out ended the comeback hopes.
Despite losing the game by one run, there was a lot of momentum still in the Pacific dugout as the teams played the final game of the series.
After the two teams started the nightcap, leaving runners on base, it was Pacific who got on the board first when
Montana Vaught hit a solo home run in the second for a 1-0 lead in favor of the Boxers. The game shifted from offensive fireworks to a strong pitching display by
Erin Shick of Pacific and Eliza Rossman of Linfield.
With Pacific clinging to a 1-0 lead in the seventh, the offensive fireworks returned for the visiting Boxers. Pacific scored five runs on six hits. Vaught drove in two more on a double, Donaca also brought in two with a double, plus an RBI single by Miller sparked the Boxers, who sent nine batters to the plate.
Vaught finished the nightcap, going 3-for-4 with three RBI – the three hits were a season-high for the freshman from Wailuku, Hawaii. In the circle, Shick kept the Wildcats off the base paths as she gave up four hits and walked three, improving to 4-0.
Next, Pacfiic will welcome Whitworth to wrap up the regular season with a four-game series. The action gets underway with a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 14 at noon, followed by Senior Day on Sunday, Apr. 15.
