The Pacific University softball team swept a doubleheader from Willamette on Saturday at Sherman-Larkins Stadium to begin Northwest Conference play.
The Boxers (8-5, 2-0 NWC) overcame an early 4-0 deficit in game one and junior pitcher
Morgan Masters limited the Bearcats to just one hit in game two as they took the doubleheader, 7-5 and 4-1.
In game one, Pacific had 11 hits including three from
Jill Uyeda, two each from
Hailey Miller and
Nicole Martinez. Miller had two of the six RBI for the Boxers, plus Martinez,
Kaitlynn Donaca and
Montana Vaught each scored two runs. The top three in the Pacific order managed to go 7-for-11 with three runs and four RBI to lead the Pacific offense.
Boxers' starting pitcher
Tiare Guerrero started the game, pitching five innings en route to the win to raise her record to 2-2.
Carly Bursch pitched two innings of one-hit relief for her first save of the season.
Pacific, who was playing at home for the first time since the opening weekend in February, dug themselves an early hole as the visitors scored four runs on three hits including a two-run home run by Vanessa Alma for the early lead.
The Boxers came back with two in its half of the first to begin the comeback including a solo home run by
Nicole Martinez. The other run came in on a bases loaded walk to
Taylor Nishimura to make it a two-run contest.
Willamette added its final run in the top of the second before a three-run bottom half of the inning by Pacific tied the game at 5. Among the hits in the inning for the Boxers was a RBI single by Miller.
With the game tied at five, the Boxers took their first lead on the day when they plated a a pair of runs in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Miller and Macatis-Smith.
All the offensive fireworks in game one saw Pacific pitcher
Morgan Masters put the attention back on the circle in the nightcap. The junior allowed just one hit – a solo home run in the top of the seventh to spoil the no-hit bid.
She got ample offensive support from her teammates, who put her ahead early with a three-run second inning.
Taylor Nishimura and Uyeda each had two hits, plus Katelyn Macatis-Smith had a pair of a RBI that sparked an early lead. The second triple of the second inning by the Boxers'
Kiana Kushiyama stretched the lead to 3-0.
Taylor Nishimura added to the Boxers lead in the fourth inning, putting Pacific ahead 4-0. The RBi single scored
Jill Uyeda, who had doubled to start the inning.
Masters carried a no-hitter to the seventh before with one out a solo home run by Jocelyn Glas spoiled the effort. She came back to get a ground out and a strike out to end the game.
The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with another doubleheader on Sunday at noon at Sherman-Larkins Stadium.
