FOREST GROVE, Ore.—Pacific University used a four-run bottom of the sixth inning to complete a doubleheader conference sweep of Lewis & Clark College softball on Tuesday evening at Sherman/Larkins Stadium.  

The Boxers came into Tuesday's doubleheader leading 11-3 in the fourth inning and held on for a mercy-rule victory in game one, before using a late surge to deny the Pioneers their first Northwest Conference win of the year in game two.  

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GAME ONE KEY MOMENTS

Pacific used scored four or more runs in three of their at-bats to cruise to a 15-3 five-inning game one victory. The two teams started the game on Saturday February 26 but the game was halted due to rain in the top of the fourth inning with the Boxers leading 11-3. 

After going down early, Lewis & Clark scored one run in the third and two more in the fourth. 

In the third inning, Olivia Brackin worked a two-out walk, stole second and raced home on a Lily Moffitt RBI single. 

The Pioneers tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Lewis & Clark loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a Kylie Hill walk and back-to-back singles from Riley Anderson and Mia Lopez. Mari Alvarez drove in Hill with a sac fly and Jules Henderson followed with a pinch-hit RBI double. The Pioneers rally would be cut short though, as the Boxers third baseman made a diving snag to turn an inning-ending double play. 

Moffitt led the Pioneers with two hits and an RBI in the loss. 

GAME TWO KEY MOMENTS 

The second game would prove far more competitive with neither side leading by more than two runs until the bottom of the sixth inning.

After going down 2-0 in the first inning, Lewis & Clark tied the game with a two-run fifth and took their first lead of the conference season in the top of the sixth. Pacific would have other ideas though, as they scored four runs, three with two outs, to grab the lead and the win.  

Lewis & Clark scored their first runs of the day in their seventh at-bat of the day. 

Alyssa Hoeke, Alvarez and Moffitt each singled to load the bases with no outs in the fifth. With one out, Samantha Gildersleeve worked a bases loaded walk and Alyssa Abe helped herself out with a sac fly to score Alvarez.  

Henderson gave the Pioneers a 3-2 lead in the sixth when she came through with a pinch-hit home run. 

Pacific took advantage of a Pioneers error in the sixth inning to score four unearned runs. Samantha Petitt tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Rylee Patton added a go-ahead RBI single through the left side to make it 4-3. With two runners in scoring position and two down, Elizabeth Young lifted a fly ball into shallow center that landed just between the outfielders and infielders for a two-run double. 

Alvarez paced the Pioneers with three hits in four at-bats and a run scored. Hoeke tacked on two hits and a run scored. 

In the circle, Abe was the tough-luck loser as she went the distance and allowed no earned runs. Abe struck out six and walked four. 

DEEPER LOOK 

• Henderson pinch hit twice and went 2-2 with a double, a home run and two RBI. The two hits were her first two hits of the season (2-7).  
• Pacific went 6-6 on the basepaths during the doubleheader. 
• Gildersleeve worked three walks across the two games and now leads the team with four walks on the season. 

LOOKING AHEAD

Lewis & Clark will head back to Forest Grove on Wednesday, to make up their rained-out doubleheader from February 27. The two games are scheduled for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.