FOREST GROVE, Ore.- The Pacific University Softball team concluded the 2022 season with two games against nationally ranked Linfield. In between today's games, the six seniors for the Boxers were honored with an on-field ceremony.
 
The Boxers (10-28, 9-19 NWC) were able to play all six seniors in both games. The seniors included Bella Portillo, Rylee Patton, Annika McNeel, Elizabeth Young, Carly Bursch and Haylie Uetake.
 
In game one, Linfield's (33-7, 25-3 NWC) offensive fire power was on display tallying six doubles, two triples and five home runs on the way to the 15-2 victory.
 
In game two, Carly Bursch (Senior/Santee, CA) had a great performance in the circle, taming the Wildcats offense in her excellent outing. She tossed seven complete innings while surrendering five runs but collecting four strikeouts.
 
Game 1
 
Linfield opened up the scoring when the leadoff batter hit a solo homerun to center field. That was followed by a triple and a sacrifice fly that pushed the visitors ahead 2-0 in the first inning.
 
The Wildcats would score another run in the top of the second on a solo homer.
 
By the time the game got to the bottom of the fifth, the Wildcats were out in front 7-0. The Boxers desperately needed to respond and Haylie Uetake (Senior/Ewa Beach, HI) would provide just that. Rylee Patton (Senior/Eastvale, CA) led off the inning with a sharply hit single to center field. The next batter, Carli Zanassi (Freshman/Bothell, WA), would come to the plate and work a walk to put two runners on. Back-to-back strikeouts for the Boxers would bring Uetake to the plate with two outs. The Boxer catcher smacked a double to center, making the score 7-2 on the two-RBI extra-base hit.
 
The Wildcats would add on eight more runs in the seventh on the way to the 15-2 victory.
 
Game 2
 
The Boxers and Wildcats played a scoreless first inning before Bursch would work her way out of a jam in the top of the second that involved runners on the corners. Zanassi would provide the first run of the game for either team when she hit a long fly ball that cleared the fence in center field.
 
The visitors from McMinnvile would respond in the top half of the third inning with three runs on three hits to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Annika McNeel (Senior/Beaverton, OR) would leave her mark on her final game at Sherman/Larkins Stadium in the bottom of the third with an RBI groundout that scored the Boxers second run of the game.
 
In what would turn out to be the game deciding runs, the Wildcats would score two runs in the top of the fifth and take a 5-2 lead.
 
The Boxers would make a last effort to come back in the bottom of the seventh when Michelle Winfield (Junior/Beaverton, OR) scored on a wild pitch to pull with in two runs, however the hosts were unable to score again as they dropped the final game, 5-3.
 
Pacific concludes the 2022 season with a seventh-place finish in the Northwest Conference standings.
 
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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