The Seattle University softball team closed out their inaugural Pacific Coast Softball Conference series, by splitting with the Idaho State Bengals. After posting back-to-back victories the day before, the Redhawks were edged in 10 innings 8-7 by ISU and were unable to take the season series, as they fell 5-4 in the second game to close out the weekend. With the pair of losses, SU falls to 6-24-1, 2-2 PCSC on the season.
In the morning game, SeattleU took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third, as they were the designated visitors on the day. Katie Gould (Medford, Ore.) led off the inning with a walk. With a runner on first and an out, Katie Antich (Spokane, Wash.) was walked to advance Gould. Katie Petersen (Mission Viejo, Calif.) followed with a sacrifice bunt to send the runners to second and third. Freshman Jessica Ulrich (Lewiston, Idaho) made it the third walk of the inning off of starting pitcher Nora Maschue. With the walk, Ulrich gave SU their first lead of the game.
Two innings later, the Redhawks added two additional runs behind a Sandra Hernandez (Redlands, Calif.) two run home run. It was her third long ball of the series. SeattleU closed out the top of the fifth with a 3-0 lead.
Their run advantage was short lived, as Idaho State tallied three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Three errors by the SU defense led to the Bengals evening the score.
The score remained tied and the game was sent into extra innings. In the top of the ninth, SeattleU took a 7-3 lead, behind a Jessica Amador (Whittier, Calif.) two out RBI single. The Redhawks kept the inning alive by loading the bases. Gould came to the plate and was walked to score Hernandez, who was on third. Allegra Wilde (Kennewick, Wash.) capped off the inning with a two RBI single up the middle.
After a strong top half of the inning SU looked poised earn the win, but another three error inning led to ISU scoring four runs of their own, to tie the game at 7-7. With the score tied once again, the game was sent into the 10th inning. After the Redhawks were unable to add additional runs, Idaho State's Taylor Marchione hit the game-winning RBI single to right center to conclude the game.
In the final game of the weekend series, SeattleU kicked off action in the top of the first with three runs. After leadoff hitter Antich struck out, Petersen singled to shortstop. She was advanced by Hernandez's single to third base and both runners were brought home on Ulrich's three run home run to left field. It was her third career home run.
SU held onto their three run lead until the bottom of the third when Idaho State's Megan Miller singled to center field to score Jocelyn Horton. ISU evened the game at 3-3 on a Terah Blackwell two run homer to center field.
The Bengals took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning, with an Emily Hu RBI single to second base and Marchione scored an unearned run off a passed ball by the Redhawk defense.
In a last ditch effort, SeattleU went into the seventh inning looking to tie the game. With one out, Ulrich reached on an error by the ISU second baseman. Amador advanced Ulrich with her single to right center. Hannah Klein (Camarillo, Calif.) sent Ulrich home on her fielder's choice RBI. With two outs, Rose Harrington (Missoula, Mont.) concluded the game with her ground out to third base.
SeattleU will continue PCSC play in Ogden, Utah from April 16 to 17 with Weber State. The Redhawks will play a four game two day series with the Wildcats. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.