Northwest Christian College picked up their second CCC victory of the season on Friday afternoon
Beacons Byrne Away Losing Streak Against SOU
EUGENE, Ore. - Northwest Christian College snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory in game two of Friday’s double-header with Southern Oregon University. Darci Byrne struck out six batters and didn’t surrender a run until the seventh inning as she picked up the complete-game victory.
Southern Oregon began the afternoon with a 2-1 victory in game one. Northwest Christian got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jen West hit a two-out solo home run, her first of the season, for a 1-0 lead. It didn’t last long, however, as the Raiders opened the fifth inning with three straight doubles to score both of their runs off starter Megan McLearn (0-11). McLearn struck out six batters in the game.
Game two remained scoreless until the bottom of the second inning. Cassie Bishop hit a two-out RBI single to score Corrie Gustafson and Cotie Howard was later walked with the bases loaded to bring home Amber Kraaz. In the fifth inning the Beacons expanded their lead when Howard came home on an RBI groundout by Kaitlyn McAlister, putting NCC ahead 3-0.
The Beacons scored for the final time in the bottom of the sixth inning with another run scoring on a free pass. This time is was Jen West, getting hit by a pitch for the ninth time this season to score Bishop from third base.
Byrne (7-9) had pitched a stellar game into the seventh inning, allowing just five hits up to that point. She began to tire, but held on for the victory. After two runs had scored on back-to-back singles by Meghan Laughlin and Danielle Stratton, Byrne got Southern Oregon pitcher Joelle Riekeman to ground out to third, ending the game. Riekeman (4-7) stuck out two batters in the complete game effort.
Northwest Christian (8-21, 2-10 Cascade Collegiate Conference) will be back in action on Saturday when they play host to Oregon Tech, ranked #21 in the most recent NAIA national coaches poll. Southern Oregon (10-16, 8-6 CCC) is off until next Friday when they play host to Corban College.