Seattle U 4, Boise State 3
The Broncos left a runner in scoring position in the top of the first but Seattle U would take the first advantage, 2-0, in the bottom of the frame on back-to-back RBI doubles from Bubba Morrow (Auburn, Wash.) and Lisa Maulden (Maple Valley, Wash.).
Boise State evened the score, 2-2, a half inning later on back-to-back hits by Makenna Weir and Lindsey Nicholson, batting Weir home.
In the bottom of the third, the Redhawks regained the advantage as Breanna Timmons (Santa Maria, Calif.) drove home Kayla Shuster-Gonzales (Escondido, Calif.) on a sacrifice fly to left field. SU loaded the bases on the next play as Isabella Geronimo (San Mateo, Calif.) was walked, but the third out came in the next at bat as the Redhawks held a 3-2 lead.
Again tying the score, this time 3-3 in the top of the fourth, Boise State scored on a single to left field by Weir, bringing Jordan Kreiger home.
Boise State left two runners on base in the fifth and Seattle U would do the same for the following two innings, but the score remained tied through seven innings.
Invoking the international tiebreaker rule in the eighth, each team started the inning with a runner placed on second. Boise State advanced runners to the corners with one out but could not bring either home to break the tie. The Redhawks would score the winning run in the bottom of the inning as Geronimo drove home Rose Saenz (San Gabriel, Calif.), pinch running for Timmons, with an RBI single to third base.
“It was good to win a close game today,” said head coach Dan Powers. “Mandie threw another quality start and Izzy [Geronimo] won it with a line drive. Our infield played great to keep Boise State off the bases.”
Timmons led the Redhawks at the plate, batting 2-for-3 with an RBI. Morrow also scored a run and recorded an RBI, batting 1-for-1.
In the circle, Mandie Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) allowed three runs on eight hits while walking for and striking out one in the eight inning victory. Nicole Wilson was handed the loss allowing the final run on one hit while walking one in one inning pitched, entering in relief for Mackenzie McGill.
Long Beach State 11, Seattle U 7
The game would be decided on a big inning apiece for in which both the Redhawks and 49ers scored six runs in a single inning.
Seattle U took a significant 6-0 lead in the top of the second as Maulden and Timmons started the scoring rally with a pair of RBI singles. Maulden and Timmons would later advance home on a pair of bases loaded walks before Morrow drove home two with a single to center field.
The 49ers narrowed their deficit, 6-2, in the bottom of the frame as Hannah Cookson hit a two-RBI single to left field and would gain the lead, 8-6, with a six-inning bottom of the fifth. Lauren Lombardi scored the first two runs on a two-run homer to left field while Cookson would drive home two more runs on a single to right field. Summer Pohl and Shayna Kimbrough also hit a set of RBI singles up the middle.
Long Beach State added three more to lead, 11-6, in the bottom of the sixth on solo home runs from Irma Sanchez and Darian Tautalafua while Alexie Johnson scored an unearned run as Cookson reached base on an error.
The Redhawks started to rally in the seventh when Saenz scored on a double to right center by Bouska, but three subsequent outs ended their chances as they left two runners in scoring position.
In the circle, Alyssa Reuble (Lynnwood, Wash.) allowed eight runs on 12 hits with two walks in 4 2/3 innings while Sugita allowed three runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. Christina Clermont earned the win for the 49ers giving up a single run on two hits while walking one and striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings.