SALEM, Ore.—Three Lewis & Clark softball pitchers combined to limit host Willamette University to one run in 15 innings, to help the River Otters earn a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep over the Bearcats.
THE BASICS
Lewis & Clark 2, Willamette 0
Lewis & Clark 5, Willamette 1 (8 Innings)
(Lewis & Clark 21-13, Northwest Conference 16-6)
(Willamette 9-25, NWC 6-16)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior
Maggie O'Leary tied the career program record for shutouts (six) and junior
Harper Campanella hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, to provide all the run support O'Leary would need in game one. Lewis & Clark was one out away from a second-straight shutout win in game two, but after the Bearcats extended the game to extras, the visitors struck for four runs to seal the sweep.
O'Leary, senior
Charlize Pope and junior
Sofia Garcia allowed 12 hits, four walks and just one run across 15 innings. They posted a combined 0.47 ERA and held the Bearcats to a .235 batting average on the day.
GAME ONE RECAP
O'Leary and Willamette's Maya Filger engaged in a pitcher's duel for seven innings but Campanella's ninth home run of the season proved to the difference for Lewis & Clark.
O'Leary matched the program record with her sixth career shutout. She scattered four hits and two walks over seven scoreless frames. O'Leary added three strikeouts to move to 13-7 on the year. Filger fell to 2-6, after holding Lewis & Clark to three hits, three walks and two runs.
Seniors
Madison Scroggins (one run) and
Cami Restagno (double) and Campanella combined to record the River Otters three hits. Junior
Makena Dahir, first year
Cici Fortuno and Campanella also chipped in a walk apiece.
Filger kept Lewis & Clark's offense in check for the first five innings. The River Otters didn't record their first hit until the top of the fifth inning. Restagno belted a one-out double to break up the no-hit bid. Lewis & Clark did have one chance to score in the early innings. The visitors loaded the bases with a walk and two hit by pitches in the second but Filger induced a pop up to end the frame.
Willamette put runners on in each of the first four innings but the River Otters defense came up big behind O'Leary. In the first inning, Lewis & Clark turned a double play on an attempted sac bunt. O'Leary faced a jam in the second inning with two runners in scoring position and no outs but she struck out the next two batters and recorded a fly out to left to end the inning. Senior
McKenna Zehnder threw out a runner trying to steal third for the second out of the fourth.
The River Otters put the game away in the sixth. Scroggins led off with a single to right field and Campanella crushed a two-run homer to left field to make it 2-0.
O'Leary would allow one walk over the final two innings, to help Lewis & Clark snap a three-game losing streak.
GAME TWO RECAP
Pope held the Bearcats in check for six-plus inning and senior
Lacey Marglin drove in a pair of runs, to help Lewis & Clark extend their winning streak to 10 in a row over Willamette.
Pope threw six shutout innings and ultimately was charged with one run over 6.1 innings pitched. The senior struck out five and allowed four hits and two walks. O'Leary came on with a runner on second and one out in the seventh and gave up one hit and struck out two. Garcia worked around three hits to pitch a scoreless eighth inning.
Scroggins led four Lewis & Clark players with multiple hits. The senior went 3-5 to finish the day with a team-high four hits. Senior
Emily Patton (one RBI), Dahir (one run) and Restagno all added two hits. Marglin led the offense with a triple and a pair of RBI.
Lewis & Clark took their first lead of the game in the second inning. Senior
Gina Ozuna worked a walk and Dahir followed with a single. After a fielder's choice retired Ozuna for the first out, Marglin produced a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Dahir.
That run was nearly enough for Pope and the River Otters defense. Pope did not allow a runner to reach third base in the first six innings. She allowed baserunners in five of the first six frames but beared down and got out of each jam. In the fourth inning, first year catcher
Kodie Ancheta threw out a runner trying to steal third base.
Willamette managed to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Mia Atkins laced a one-out double and with two down, Filger came through with a game-tying RBI single.
Lewis & Clark immediately responded. Ozuna opened the top of the eighth with a single and took second on a Dahir sac bunt. Restagno followed with a single to put runners on the corners and Zehnder produced a squeeze bunt to give Lewis & Clark a 2-1 lead. Marglin made it 3-1 with an RBI triple to right-center. First year
Kara Kahahawai kept the line moving with an RBI single and Scroggins put runners at first and second with a single. Patton closed out the scoring with an RBI single through the right side to plate Kahahawai.
Willamette loaded the bases with three singles with one out but Desirae Hatfield hit a fly ball to Dahir in right and the junior doubled off the runner at first base for a game-ending double play.
BY THE NUMBERS
- O'Leary tied Liz Coburn ('01) for the most shutouts by a Lewis & Clark pitcher in program history.
- Restagno made her first collegiate start at first base in game two. She finished the day hitting .600 (3-5) with a double and a hit by pitch.
- Lewis & Clark threw out two of three Willamette base stealers. The River Otters came into the game with two runners caught stealing all season.
- O'Leary also set the program record for pitching appearances on Saturday. She passed Madison Hollenbeck ('15) for first all-time with 107 appearances in the circle.
- Lewis & Clark improved to 4-1 in extra-inning games this season. After falling to PLU on March 25, Lewis & Clark has won three-straight extra-inning contests.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark will look to earn the four-game sweep over Willamette for a third-straight season on Sunday, when the two teams meet in Salem at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
