"Richelle (Ashburn) threw a great game for us today, hitting her spots and mixing up her speeds really well," said head coach Dan Powers. "Hannah (Klein), Sarah (Petosa) and Allegra (Wilde) had impressive days at the plate, as well. It was a complete team effort and we were happy to win one for the home crowd."
Battling the elements, the Redhawks' freshman pitcher Richelle Ashburn (Post Falls, Idaho) put together a composed extra inning outing in the circle. After conceding a first inning run to UBC, the SU offense was there to take the lead.
Sarah Petosa (Auburn, Wash.) led off with a walk and was advanced when Brianna Guerrero (Buena Park, Calif.) was hit by a pitch. The bases were quickly loaded when British Columbia's pitcher Leigh Della Siega walked Allegra Wilde (Kennewick, Wash.). With one out, Natalie Leyland (Richland, Wash.) flied out to left field, sending home Petosa to even the score. Following Leyland, Hannah Klein (Camarillo, Calif.) singled to right field and was advanced to second on a throwing error by the Thunderbird's right fielder Chelsey Rodgers. The error would score Guerrero to give Seattle U a 2-1 lead heading into the second inning.
Ashburn would keep UBC off the board in the second and third innings, behind solid defensive play behind her.
In the bottom of the third, Wilde led off with a double down the left field line and was advanced on Jessica Ulrich's (Lewiston, Idaho) sacrifice bunt. Klein would be there again to bring home the next Redhawk run. With two outs, she singled to left field to bring home Wilde and give Seattle U a 3-1 advantage.
Klein would go 3-for-4, with a pair of RBIs in the game.
British Columbia would manage to even the score 3-3, tacking on runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Katie Gould (Medford, Ore.) earned a leadoff walk. She would be advanced on Jessica Amador's (Whittier, Calif.) sacrifice bunt and was sent to third on a Thunderbird throwing error. Karina Smyth (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Redhawks a 4-3 lead heading into the seventh.
Their lead was short lived, as UBC was there with a Jesslyn Hodge RBI single to right center to send the game into extra innings.
Ashburn held the Thunderbirds off the board with a pair of quick three out innings in the eighth and ninth innings. She would earn her first collegiate win in the game, behind 9.0 innings and a pair of strikeouts in 40 batters faced.
In the bottom of the ninth, Petosa led off with a single to right field and she would steal second. With one out, Wilde singled to center field. Petosa would score on an error by British Columbia's center fielder Alyssa Derksen.
Petosa finished the day going 2-for-3, with a pair of runs and walks. Wilde was 2-for-4 in the game, with a run and a walk.
The Redhawks second game of the Saturday's doubleheader was cancelled due inclement weather. SU will take on UBC on Sunday, Mar. 27, in a doubleheader beginning at 12 noon.