FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific Softball won the final game of the four-game set to snatch their first series victory of the 2022 season, taking three of four games from Lewis & Clark to open up their Northwest Conference slate.
Both contests were decided by just one run on the final day of the series, as the Pioneers rallied from behind to steal game three while the Boxers edged the visitors late in game four to improve to 3-1 in conference play.
Rylee Patton (Senior/Eastvale, CA) had four hits in the doubleheader, going 4-for-6 with three RBI. She got the nod in the first game of the evening and allowed two earned runs in four innings pitched. After playing shortstop for the next nine innings, Patton returned to the pitcher's circle to close out the series finale, earning the save in her spotless inning of work.
Michelle Winfield (Junior/Beaverton, OR) enjoyed a perfect 3-for-3 performance in the first contest, driving in three runs.
MiKaila Neilson (Junior/Frenchtown, MT) was 3-for-6 on the day, smashing two extra-base hits.
Elizabeth Young (Senior/Port Orchard, WA) hit Pacific's first home run of the season on Wednesday night. She banged out two hits, scoring one run while driving in another.
Lindsey Greenfield (Sophomore/Mukilteo, WA) was excellent in her first start of the year, earning the win after tossing six innings while surrendering just two runs.
Game 1
The Boxers opened the scoring in their first turn at the plate when McNeel ripped a double into the right-center gap and came around to score on a
Samantha Petitt (Junior/Tigard, OR) groundout.
A leadoff walk from
Carli Zanassi (Freshman/Bothell, WA) and a double by Neilson got things started in the bottom of the second. Winfield came through with a good piece of situational hitting to double the Pacific lead, scoring Zanassi from third base with a sacrifice fly.
The Pioneers evened things up at 2-2 in the next frame, using three hits and a walk to push a couple runs across.
Pacific quickly regained the lead in the bottom half when Young launched the team's first home run of the year. The Boxers continued to add on, using a single and two walks to load the bases for Winfield, who grounded a single up the middle to extend the advantage.
After four solid innings of work from Patton, she would hand the ball over to
Sydney Rusin (Junior/Portland, OR). Patton would move to shortstop after completing her day in the circle, and immediately made a spectacular diving play for the first out of the fifth inning.
Despite Patton's impressive defensive effort, a pair of Pioneer home runs would give the visitors the 6-5 lead. Rusin would be relieved by
Kaleigh Bauerle (Junior/Belgrade, MT) in the sixth inning.
Lewis & Clark tacked on another run in the top of the sixth, but the Boxers would reply in the home half of the inning. Winfield and Petitt would set the table for Patton, who delivered with a base hit up the middle to bring the Boxers within one. Young followed with a hit-by-pitch, bringing Rusin to the plate with the bases full. The Portland, Ore. native clutched up with a two-RBI single to give Pacific the lead.
The Pioneers mashed a two-run homer to put themselves out in front in the top of the seventh, and held on to steal the first game of the doubleheader, 9-8.
Game 2
Lewis & Clark threatened with two hits in the top of the first, but two outfield assists would prevent the visitors from getting on the board. Leadley showed off her arm in left field by throwing out a runner at the plate before Winfield ended the inning by catching a fly ball and gunning down another Pioneer trying to score.
Greenfield toed the rubber to start game two, making her first appearance of the season. The right-hander tossed two scoreless frames to start the ballgame before Lewis & Clark scratched a run in the third.
Pacific answered with two runs to take the lead in the bottom half. Neilson and Petitt traded places with a pair of doubles before Patton legged out an infield hit to bring another run home.
The Boxers' bats would go quite for the next two frames, but Greenfield held the visitors in check and her team would maintain their lead.
Lewis & Clark got one back in the top of the sixth when Samantha Gildersleeve hit a solo shot to make the score 3-2.
Patton returned to the circle to close out the contest and earned the save after a spotless seventh inning, clinching the series victory for Pacific.
Up Next
The Boxers host George Fox for a doubleheader on Mar. 11 to continue NWC action. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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