“It was great to see our team compete in all facets of the game today against Bradley; that was a total team effort,” said head coach Geoff Hirai, who picked up his first career win at the helm of the Redhawks. “The second game, we made a couple mistakes but this is what the preseason is all about – learning and improving every day. Overall, we competed and we will learn from our mistakes and get better day by day.”
Game 1: Seattle U 9, Bradley 0 (5)
A six-run second inning for Seattle U would make much of the difference as Molly Campbell (San Diego, Calif.) started the inning with a single up the middle. After Campbell was called out on the run, Megan Ottino (Torrance, Calif.) brought home Hayley Beckstrom (Maple Valley, Wash.) and Kayla Shuster-Gonzales (Escondido, Calif.) for the first pair of runs. After Paige Bouska (Keizer, Ore.) was walked in the next at bat, Kaylee Ree (Gresham, Ore.) followed with a two-RBI double to left center, driving home Bouska and Ottino. Isabella Geronimo (San Mateo, Calif.) would bring Ree home and would ultimately come around to score on a Breanna Timmons (Santa Maria, Calif.) single.
After allowing the Braves a hit in the top of the third and stranding Kelly Kapp on third, Maddy Kristjanson (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) homered to left field in her second at bat of the season to increase the SU lead, 7-0.
Beckstrom would end the game in the fifth on a two-RBI homer to left field, bringing home Shuster-Gonzales, who reached base on a single, advancing to second on a wild pitch.
In the circle, Andie Larkins (Tucson, Ariz.) earned her first career victory, allowing just one hit and walking one while striking out eight. Three Bradley pitchers saw time in the circle in the loss.
Game 2: East Carolina 6, Seattle U 0
East Carolina tacked on four in their first at bat, three of which were unearned after Ciara Ervin advanced on an illegal pitch at the top of the order. Ervin’s run came through on a Kacie Oshiro sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, the Pirates scored two more on a Kelsi Briggs leadoff homer to left center before Ashley Weingartz scored on an Ervin two-out single through the right side.
The Redhawks left at least one runner on base in six of seven innings and left the bases loaded in a crucial sixth inning. Seattle U also left two runners on base in both the first and seventh innings.
In the circle, Lindsay Davis (Palo Cedro, Calif.) suffered the loss, allowing four runs, one earned, in two-thirds of an inning pitched. Alyssa Reuble (Lynnwood, Wash.) entered for the final five and one-third relief innings, giving up the final two runs.