Pioneer LogLewis & Clark College’s Student-Run Newspaper

Conference opening weekend ends 0-4 for softball

March 12, 2010

by Lindsey Bosse   

This weekend marked the beginning of conference play for softball.  Saturday the women started against Pacific with a doubleheader at home.  The Pioneers lost the first game 10-2, and the second 16-7.  Sunday the women traveled to Linfield, losing again 17-2 and 5-2.  Linfield is currently first in the NWC and the hardest team that the women have played this season.

“Our second game against Linfield we gave them a hard battle,” Jessica Mullins (’10) said. “They really had to work for that second win.”

Although the team has yet to win a game this season, they are still working towards a win. Weekly, the team makes manageable goals to reach during each game.  This past weekend they worked on the goal of having 6 base runners, which was achieved.

“We know we’re really close,” Mullins said. “Pitchers are throwing six days a week. Paige McFeeley (’11) rocks. Caroline DeVincenzi (’12) has also really stepped up last weekend.  Everyone is starting to have spectacular plays.”

Game one of Lewis & Clark’s NWC opener was lost 10-2; both of the Pios’ homeruns were conquered in the fourth inning. Caitlin Relyea (’12) was to thank with smack to right field, which brought Michaela Satter (’11) and Jaimie Moon (’11) into home for the Pios’ only points of the game.  At the time, Pacific already held an 8-point lead, which was then sealed for 10 points in the fifth inning. The bottom half of the inning then gave no points to LC and the Boxers won the first game of the conference season.  

The second game gave the Boxers six runs within the first three innings.  By the fifth inning the Pios had made two runs, making the score 9-2.  

Early in the inning, Boxers had scored three more runs thanks to a loaded-base homerun.  In the bottom of the fifth the Pios found their grip and picked out the weaknesses in Boxer defense. 

Within three hits, LC managed five runs. DeVincenzi walked her the first point in after an error by the Boxer catcher while Satter was batting.  Relyea and Mullins helped for two more points, and then Moon sent the ball straight down the right field line, bringing two more Pios home.  

The sixth inning proved very successful for the Boxers, after a slew of mistakes in the fifth inning, and they conquered the game 16-7.

Sunday was against Linfield on their home field.  Currently, Linfield ranks 16th in the nation.  
Their offense was relentless in the first game.  The first four innings showed all 17 points by the Wildcats.  In the fifth inning the Pios succeeded in two runs, with some thanks to Linfield blunders.  DeVincenzi was the batter for both runs by Megan Andre (’13) and Moon.  

Pio defense picked up in the second game, and held the Wildcats at less than half of the runs they had managed in the previous game.  

After the second inning, Linfield had only made one run, and in the fourth inning the Pios had tied them 1-1; Jessica Mullins had succeeded in a trying run.  The Wildcats were quick to respond in their half of the inning, gaining a double.  The Pios took their second point in the sixth inning, and then Linfield answered again with two more runs to win 5-2.