The Pioneer softball team fell 8-0 (box score) in a five-inning game to the Willamette Bearcats Saturday afternoon. Karyne Sander had a hit for the Pioneers. In game two, the Pioneers fell 13-3 (box score).

In game one, Willamette's Nikki Franchi hit a two-out home run to right field to put the BEarcats up 1-0. In the third inning, a two-run shot by the Bearcats' Elizabeth Gilgan put WU up 3-0, and lead to the Pioneers going to the pen and bringing in Kelly Vega (sophomore, Beaverton, Ore.) to make her collegiate softball debut. After walking the first two batters she saw, one came around to score on a wild pitch, the other on a ground out to second by Katie Peterson to put the Bearcat up 5-0.

After scoring another run in the fourth on a walk/wildpitch combo, Willamette entered the fifth with a 6-0 lead. They scored two more runs on a hit by Franchi and a pair of Pioneer errors.

Karyne Sander (senior, Grants Pass, Ore.) singled in the bottom of the fifth for the Pioneers, but the Bearcats worked around the hit to retire the side an earn the 8-0 victory in five inning.

Nikki Franchi earned the victory for the Bearcats, working all five innings, allowing just one hit, walking one, striking out 11. She was also 2-3 at the plate with a home run and three runs scored. Paige McFeeley (freshman, Boise, Idaho) took the loss for the Pioneers.

The Bearcats took the nightcap 13-3. Nikki Franchi started the scoring in the second game in the same manner as the first, hitting a home run in the first inning, this time a two-run shot, to put the Bearcats up 2-0. The Bearcats scored four more in the second on a 2-RBI single from Elizabeth Gilgan and a two-run home run from Marissa Richards. 

The Bearcat scored three runs in the third, two coming on a double by Franchi, to take a 9-0 lead. The Pioneers scored in the bottom of the inning. Paige McFeeley, Sheree Miura (junior, Waipahu, Hawaii), and Jamie Moon (sophomore, Baker, Ore.) all singled, with one run scoring on a wild pitch and another on an RBI by Sara Standish (freshman, Gazeran, France) to make it a 9-2 game.

Willamette scored four runs in the fourth on a 2-RBI single by Cirbi Anthony, an RBI triple by Elizabeth Gilgan, and a sac fly.

The Pioneers scored their final run in the fifth on an RBI by Laura Parker (junior, Healdsburg, Calif.), falling 13-3.

Amy Boren earned the win for Willamette, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing two runs, walking three, and striking out one. Nathalie Matson (grad, Astoria, Ore.) took the loss.  Kelly Vega pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings to close out the game for the Pioneers.

For the Bearcats, Elizabeth Gilgan was 2-4 with three runs scored and four driven in.

The Bearcats improve to 4-2 (2-2 NWC). The Pioneers fall to 1-8 (1-5 NWC).

The Pioneers will take on the Linfield Wildcats Sunday in McMinnville. The doubleheader begins at 12 noon.