BRYANT BOX | PORTLAND STATE BOX
SEATTLE – (March 17) Seattle University softball split two games at the Seattle U Invitational Saturday. Shianne Smith pitched a complete-game shutout to help SU beat Bryant, 5-0, before Portland State sneaked away with a 5-4 win in nine innings to wrap up the second day of action at Logan Field this weekend.
“We had a great outing in the game against Bryant,” said Coach Geoff Hirai. “We fought back in the second game and had an opportunity to win in the last inning but came up short. This situation will better us down the road.”
In the win over Bryant, Smith was terrific, shutting out the Bulldogs over seven innings of work. The freshman struck out eight and gave up just three hits in her first career complete game.
SU (17-13) struck for a run in the second inning to take the lead. Breanna Timmons doubled with one out and a Sara Dominguez walk put two runners on with two outs. Erika Rodgers then singled on the infield, and an error allowed Timmons to score for a 1-0 lead.
Smith rolled into fifth, earning a lineout double play to close the frame. In the bottom of the fifth, Rodgers hit another single. The senior then stole second. Nicole Bolasky followed with a hit and a steal of second base. Ally Choate stroked a single to left, driving in both runners to make it 3-0. Choate stole second and Cathcart walked. A Kaylee Ree groundout moved the runners to second and third with one out. Timmons came through with a base hit to right, bringing in two more runs as the Redhawks grabbed a 5-0 margin.
Choate went 2-3, while Timmons and Rodgers each had two hits. SU stretched its shutout streak to 26 innings over four games.
In the nightcap, Carley Nance and Alyssa Burk squared off in a pitcher’s dual. Burk retired 12 straight to start the game, while Nance only allowed a single run through five frames.
Ree reached on an error in the fifth and then stole third base with one out. A Maddy Kristjanson sacrifice fly brought in Ree to even the score. The Vikings answered with a go-ahead run in the top of the sixth, however.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Kristjanson stepped to the plate. The shortstop drilled a flyball over the left centerfield fence, tying the game at 2 and forcing extra innings.
PSU scored a run in its half of the eighth. Cherise Silvan began the bottom of the eighth at second base. Susanne Morris’ sacrifice bunt advanced Silvan to third and then Alyson Matriotti hit a sac fly, making it 3-all and pushing the contest into the ninth.
The visitors put up a pair of runs in the top of the frame, grabbing a 5-3 advantage. A wild pitch allowed Nicole Bolasky to move ahead to third base. Choate singled Bolasky home to get SU within a run. Cathcart walked and Ree put down a sacrifice bunt to get runners to second and third with one out. The Vikings recorded the final two outs necessary to close out the game, though.
Nance finished her day with five innings of work. She gave up four hits and one earned run, striking out six hitters.
The Redhawks face both Bryant and Portland State once more on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. between SU and Bryant and 12:30 p.m. between Seattle U and PSU.