Despite solid performances on the mound by the Seattle University softball pitching staff, the Redhawks offense could not garner enough momentum to give SU run support Saturday afternoon in Portland, Ore. Seattle U dropped their series opening doubleheader with a pair of loses to Portland State. The Redhawks fell 4-1 in the early game and were edged 1-0 to close out the day.
“It was a warm day in Portland, but our bats were cold,” said head coach Dan Powers. “Our offense didn’t make adjustments and spoiled a solid pitching performance by Kelsey Reynolds. We turned several double plays, as well.”
“Portland’s pitching dictated every at bat today. We hope to bounce back and finish the season on a high note tomorrow,” he concluded.
In the early game, the Redhawks got on the board first in the top of the second. With one out, Megan MacIsaac (Santa Barbara, Calif.) was walked and immediately advanced to second by Theresa Clark’s (Lakewood, Colo.) walk. The bases were loaded after Jessica Amador (Whittier, Calif.) was hit by a pitch in her at bat. Two batters later, Allegra Wilde (Kennewick, Wash.) singled through the left side to send home MacIsaac.
It the bottom half of the inning Portland State’s offense work up and sent home three runners to take a 3-1 lead. Following the Vikings’ scoring spurt, Seattle U was unable to respond offensively.
In the bottom of the sixth, PSU’s Lacy Holm hit an RBI double to left center to add a fourth run scored by the Vikings.
Seattle U managed only one hit in the game and 11 were struck out by Portland State’s pitcher Anna Bertrand.
For the Redhawks, Hannah Klein (Camarillo, Calif.) had a pair of strikeouts and scattered eight hits in 25 batters faced.
In the final game of the day, the SU kicked off the top of the first with a Katie Antich (Spokane, Wash.) single to left center. With two outs, Jessica Ulrich (Lewiston, Idaho) was walked, but it did not give the team any more momentum to bring a runner home.
SU tallied three hits in the game to PSU’s five, and left four batters on bases during their seven offensive inning opportunities.
Starting pitcher Kelsey Reynolds (Kent, Wash.) had a solid performance in the circle. In six innings, she threw a pair of strikeouts and in 23 batters faced, allowed only five hits. She kept the Vikings scoreless until PSU scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
In the sixth inning, Becca Diede hit a two out single to center field to keep the inning alive. The next batter Holm, sent home Diede with a double to right center to send home the game-winner.
With the pair of losses, SU will battle for a second place finish in the PCSC Mountain Division with their season-concluding doubleheader at Portland State on Sunday, May 9. First pitch is set for noon.