SEATTLE – Seattle U softball marked four straight wins on Friday, taking the opening matchups of the 2023 home schedule against Montana (4-1) and UNLV (6-4). Sophomore Tai WIlson had a stellar day at the plate, going 6-for-7 with one double, two RBIs and one walk. Both contests took place at Logan Field on the campus of Seattle U as part of the Seattle U Invite.
The Redhawks improve their record to an impressive 17-5, with today's final victory marking Head Coach Geoff Hirai's 200th career win, all as the head coach of Seattle U.
GAME ONE
The Redhawks trailed until the bottom of the fifth when they scored two to take their first lead of the game. Katie Walling opened the inning by getting on base with a hard hit single to center field. Madison Kahwaty would get the scoring started, knocking her first double of the day to center field. De La Cruz would immediately follow with an infield single to the shortstop before Sydney Frankenberger allowed the Redhawks to take the lead for good.
Seattle U added two insurance runs in the sixth, with Lily Garcia opening the inning with a double to left center field. Pinch hitter, Mekenzie Madokoro, doubled the lead in the next at bat, hitting a ball hard to left field to allow Garcia to score. Tai Wilson would be responsible for scoring the final run of the game, knocking in Madokoro with a single up the middle.
B6 | Mekenzie enters this game and brings a run home!
— Seattle U Softball ?? (@seattleusb) March 11, 2023
SU 3
UM 1 pic.twitter.com/VyaNUAv88l
Stefanie Madrigal improves to 9-3 with the victory, throwing a complete game with four strikeouts. After allowing the only run in the first inning, Madrigal would sit down the next 14 batters with four of them being via a swinging strikeout.
GAME ONE SCORING SUMMARY
- First Inning: Montana takes the lead on a single up the middle.
- Fifth Inning: Madison Kahwaty doubled to center field, tying the game at one all. Sydney Frankenberger reached on an error by the shortstop, putting the Redhawks in front.
- Sixth Inning: Mekenzie Madokoro singled to left field, scoring the third run of the game. Tai Wilson singled up the middle, scoring Madokoro.
After SU allowed a run in the first, Jocelynn De La Cruz put Seattle U in front on a two-run blast to center. The home run marks De La Cruz's team leading seventh of the season.
B1 | JOCELYNN SMOKED THAT ONE
— Seattle U Softball ?? (@seattleusb) March 11, 2023
SU 2
UNLV 1 pic.twitter.com/f6fv7czen7
The Redhawks added two in the second, with Tai Wilson and Madison Kahwaty both picking up an RBI. Wilson would get the scoring started, hitting a single back to the pitcher and beating out the throw. Kahwaty immediately followed with a double to right center, marking her team leading seventh double of the season.
Seattle U added two more in the fifth which proved to be the game winning runs. Sydney Frankenberger opened with a single up the middle, before Mekenzie Madokoro got on with a bunt single two batters later. Katie Walling did the damage in her at bat, crushing a double to left center field for two RBIs.
Wilson recorded the Redhawks final hit on the day, marking a four-for-four performance with a one out double to left center. Wilson's four hit performance ties Seattle U's single game hits record, with Wilson being the last Redhawk to do so in 2022.
Grace Luderer picks up the victory in this one, improving to 4-1 overall. After coming in out of the bullpen, Luderer went four innings and struck out five. Luderer was able to get out of jams in the third and fifth without allowing a run as well as pitching a clean seventh to seal the win.
GAME TWO SCORING SUMMARY
- First Inning: UNLV scores one run on two hits. Jocelynn De La Cruz hit a two-run home run to center field.
- Second Inning: Tai Wilson hit a single to the pitcher that allowed a run to score. Madison Kahwaty doubled to right center, scoring the fourth run of the game.
- Third Inning: UNLV hit a solo home run.
- Fifth Inning: Katie Walling hit a double, scoring two more runs.
- Sixth Inning: UNLV scored two runs on two hits.
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