Jill Uyeda had two hits in both games to lead the Pacific University softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Lewis & Clark, winning game one by a 4-3 and the nightcap by a 9-5 margin. The back-to-back multi-hit games for Uyeda raise the season total to eight for the sophomore shortstop.
Pacific (22-9, 16-4) was limited to five hits in game one before pounding out 12 hits in the nightcap. The 12 hits in the night marked the 17
th time that the Boxers had double-digit hits and fourth time in five games.
In game one, the Boxers were sparked a three-run first inning on just two hits. Pacific got its first run when
Nicole Martinez scored on a passed ball, then they added another run on a RBI ground out by
Hailey Miller. The final run of the inning came on a solo home run by Uyeda for the third run of the inning.
A run in the fourth and two more in the fifth by the host Pioneers tied the game at 3. In the bottom of the fifth, Lewis & Clark managed to load the bases but reliever
Carly Bursch got out of the inning with an infield fly and ground out to end the inning.
With one out, in the top of the sixth, Uyeda singled to right field. After back-to-back fielder's choice efforts by the Boxers put runners on the corners, Pacific picked up a run after a Lewis & Clark error. The Pioneers mounted a threat in the final two innings as the Boxers rallied behind Bursch to preserve the win.
The nightcap saw four Boxers –
Jill Uyeda,
Hailey Miller,
Kaitlynn Donaca and
Nicole Martinez – each have two hits as Pacific posted a 9-5 win over to complete the series victory. Plus, six-different Boxers had a RBI in the win.
Pacific scored four times in the third inning to take a 5-0 lead on the Pioneers. In the third, the Boxers had four hits that led to the four runs including a RBI double by Bursch and a RBI single by
Taylor Nishimura to spark the offense. The Boxers added its sixth run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Uyeda in the fifth before Lewis & Clark managed to make it a one-run game with a four-run fifth inning for a 6-5 lead in favor of Pacific.
Holding a one-run lead, the Boxers added to its lead with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh. In the sixth,
Montana Vaught brought in
Nicole Martinez on a RBI double to put Pacific ahead 7-5. Then, the Boxers scored a pair on a Donaca sacrifice fly and a wild pitch by Lewis & Clark.
Next, the Boxers will host No.10 Linfield for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday at Sherman-Larkins Stadium.
