Eagles Take Doubleheader from SOU
PORTLAND, Ore. - Northwest University scored two extra inning victories, 5-4 and 4-3 over Southern Oregon today at Normandie Park in Portland. The games were originally scheduled to be played in Kirkland, Wash., but moved south due to weather and field conditions. The games were then moved from Clackamas CC to the Portland State University home field where the conditions were very playable.
In the first game, Ricki Tacdol's walk off single in the bottom of the 8th inning gave the Eagles the 5-4 win. Southern Oregon came back from a 4-2 deficit in the top of the 5th inning when Sierra Anderson singled home Stephanie Vandenbusch and Alexa Gonzalez to tie the game at 4-4. NU's Kelli Peckham went the distance for Northwest limiting SOU 4 runs on 6 hits. NU's Lauren Robinson went 4 for 4, Lynzee Halcott batted 3 for 5 and Amanda Matthews went 2 for 2 for the Eagles.
In game two, SOU (14-19, 10-10 CCC) came back once again after Northwest U. (7-23, 4-12) had taken an early 3-0 lead as Eagle Pitcher Vanessa Ahrendt held the Raiders scoreless and hitless for 5 innings. Southern Oregon tied the game in the top of the 6th inning when Alexa Gonzalez tripled in Lauren Keel, Vandenbusch singled in Gonzalez and later scored on a single by Ashley Lowe. NU scored in the bottom of the 8th inning when the Eagles loaded the bases and catcher Lynzee Halcott was hit by a pitch. Ashley Curtis scored the winning run after she had opened the inning with a single. Vanessa Ahrendt got the win for NU going 8 innings, giving up 5 hits and 3 Raider runs. Karlie Stephens took the loss for the Raiders in relief going 6.1 innings and giving up 8 hits and one run. Lauren Robinson, Ashley Curtis and Ahrendt all went 3 for 4 for NU at the plate. Robinson capped off a great day from the plate, going a combined 7 for 8.
"I am so proud of our young ladies as they put together 26 hits, some solid pitching and defense to get two wins over a good Southern Oregon team today," stated John Bacon, Eagle Head coach. "We've been taking small steps showing improvements lately, but today we took a giant step in the way our team held together, came up with some clutch plays and made contact with the ball. We showed some poise and confidence at crucial points of both games. It was a long day for both teams but they played their hearts out when it was finally time to play. We appreciate all the people in Portland who helped us find a playable field today."