ROSEMONT, Ill. – It was an historic start to the year with the Seattle U Redhawks defeating Western Michigan 8-1 and Murray State 3-2 in the season-opening doubleheader to start the year 2-0. This is Seattle U's first 2-0 start since 2008, when the Redhawks started 11-0.
Madison Kahwaty went a combined 5-for-6 across two games, including a school-record three-double day against Western Michigan. She would go 4-for-4 in game one, matching the Seattle U record for hits in a single game, then drive in two on a sacrifice fly and home run in the second game.
GAME ONE
In addition to Kahwaty's historic day, Tai Wilson and Kalyn Hill each had hits in their first-ever collegiate at-bats, with Hill's a two-run home run. Wilson and Hill were the first Redhawk freshman with hits in their first collegiate at-bats since Madison Cathcart did so in 2017.
Stefanie Madrigal was excellent in game one. The junior allowed just two baserunners after Western Michigan scored in the first inning and retired the final eight batters she faced for the complete game.
GAME ONE SCORING
Kahwaty's torrid pace continued as she hit her first home run as a Redhawk as well as driving in a run via a sacrifice fly. Seattle U's 1-2-3 hitters of Tai Wilson, Olivia Viggiano, and Kahwaty reached base five times and scored all three of Seattle U's runs.
Grace Luderer looked strong in her first collegiate start, allowing just one run in 4.1 innings of work. The freshman struck out five, including three batters in the second inning. Carley Nance took over from there, retiring the first five batters she faced en route to the save.
Murray State made it an interesting finish with three singles from the first four batters in the seventh inning. Nance got the next two batters, striking out one, to put a close to the victory.
GAME TWO SCORING
NOTES
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Madison Kahwaty went a combined 5-for-6 across two games, including a school-record three-double day against Western Michigan. She would go 4-for-4 in game one, matching the Seattle U record for hits in a single game, then drive in two on a sacrifice fly and home run in the second game.
GAME ONE
In addition to Kahwaty's historic day, Tai Wilson and Kalyn Hill each had hits in their first-ever collegiate at-bats, with Hill's a two-run home run. Wilson and Hill were the first Redhawk freshman with hits in their first collegiate at-bats since Madison Cathcart did so in 2017.
Stefanie Madrigal was excellent in game one. The junior allowed just two baserunners after Western Michigan scored in the first inning and retired the final eight batters she faced for the complete game.
GAME ONE SCORING
- First Inning: After Wilson singled in her first collegiate at-bat, Kahwaty drove her home with an RBI double. Western Michigan would tie it up with an RBI single in the bottom half.
- Second Inning: Hill's first-ever college at-bat was similarly impressive, with the freshman launching a two-run home run to take back the lead.
- Fifth Inning: Kahwaty came through again, this time ripping her third double of the game to score another and make it 4-1. That opened the floodgates: Carley Nance would hit a three-run homer and Hill an RBI double later in the inning as nine Redhawks came to the plate in the inning and ballooned the lead to 8-1.
Kahwaty's torrid pace continued as she hit her first home run as a Redhawk as well as driving in a run via a sacrifice fly. Seattle U's 1-2-3 hitters of Tai Wilson, Olivia Viggiano, and Kahwaty reached base five times and scored all three of Seattle U's runs.
Grace Luderer looked strong in her first collegiate start, allowing just one run in 4.1 innings of work. The freshman struck out five, including three batters in the second inning. Carley Nance took over from there, retiring the first five batters she faced en route to the save.
Murray State made it an interesting finish with three singles from the first four batters in the seventh inning. Nance got the next two batters, striking out one, to put a close to the victory.
GAME TWO SCORING
- First Inning: The Redhawks showed plenty of patience, drawing three walks in their first four plate appearances and getting on the board early on a Kahwaty sac fly.
- Second Inning: Back-to-back hits by the Racers tied it up at 1-1, though Luderer rebounded with two strikeouts to strand a runner on third.
- Third Inning: Kahwaty's first home run as a Redhawk broke the tie, making it 2-1.
- Seventh Inning: Murray State cut it to a one-run game after an error but couldn't tie it back up.
NOTES
- Hill (3x5, HR, 3 RBI) is the first Redhawk freshman to homer on opening day since Jessica Ulrich in 2010.
- Kahwaty's (5x6, 2 R, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI) four-hit day is the seventh in Seattle U history and first since Madison Cathcart against UNLV on March 6, 2021.
- Kahwaty's 5-for-5 start to her Seattle U career is the best in Redhawk history.
- This was Madrigal's (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) third career complete game allowing five or fewer baserunners.
- Nance (1x6, HR, 3 RBI) and Hill are the first Redhawks to homer in the season opener since 2018, when Cathcart did.
- The Redhawks have not had multiple players homer in the season opener since 2016, when Maddy Kristjanson and Haley Beckstrom did.
Stay connected with Seattle U softball and get all the latest team updates by downloading the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play.