EUGENE, Ore. – Sophomore Brooke Davis threw a complete-game two-hit shutout in the opener and Freshman Kristen DeHaven (pictured) hit a walk-off single in the 8th inning of the night cap as the Northwest Christian University softball team swept a double-header from Eastern Oregon on Saturday, 2-0 and 3-2. The Beacons improve to 20-24 on the season with the victory, tying the school’s single-season win record, set back in 2005.
Davis (10-13) continued a dominating week for the Beacons, going the distance in game one as she allowed just two singles and struck out seven batters over seven innings of work. The sophomore also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a triple and one RBI.
The Beacons first scored in the third inning when Lissa Hatefi scored on Davis’ triple to deep left centerfield. The other run came in the bottom of the sixth, a one-out solo home run for Cassie Bishop, her second in as many days and her eleventh of the season.
Davis went back to the hill in game two, and would end up extending her school-record scoreless innings streak to 32, before giving up an unearned run in the fifth. The Beacons were up 1-0 after a run by Davis in the first inning, coming home from second as Megan Mazanec was thrown out attempting to stretch a single into a double.
Then, in the top of the fifth, the Mounties would score their first run in 17 innings. After a leadoff walk to Krista Kountz and a sacrifice bunt, Suzie Espinoza reached base on an error at second base, which allowed Kountz to score from second. Sophomore Jenna Royce came in to relieve Davis, and close out the inning without any more damage.
NCU responded quickly, getting a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Corrie Gustafson hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Mazanec.
Eastern would not go quietly, making some noise in the top of the seventh inning. Down to their final out, the Mounties got an RBI single from Jordan Barnett, scoring Jen McDonnell for the tying run, making it a 2-2 ballgame.
NCU was then able to put the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning, without recording an out. Gustafson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Jonni Byrne reached on a walk. DeHaven was the next batter and she sent a hard single to right center field, scoring Gustafson from second to end the game.
Davis struck out five batters through the 4.1 innings that she worked, allowing just the one unearned run on one hit. Royce (5-2) picked up the victory in relief, going the final 3.2 innings, striking out three batters while allowing one run on seven hits.
DeHaven finished game two hitting 2-for-3 and Mazanec went 3-for-4, breaking out of a mini-slump as she had been hitless in her previous four games.
For Eastern, McDonnell batted 2-for-3 with a run but picked up losses in both games, moving her record to 11-22. The freshman allowed two runs on five hits in game one while striking out five batters, and closed out game two, pitching the final three innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Northwest Christian (20-24, 10-12 CCC) will close out the regular season on Friday as they play host to Corban College in a double-header that has been pushed back twice already. NCU still has an outside chance at qualifying for the Cascade Conference playoffs. The Beacons are now just two games out of third-place with two games to play, and could force a tie for the final playoff spot.