ARLINGTON, Texas - Late inning rallies pushed the Seattle U softball team (26-23, 11-13 WAC) to the series win over UT Arlington (24-24, 10-14 WAC) at Allan Saxe Field on Saturday afternoon, as the Redhawks downed the Mavericks 3-2 in 9 innings then 10-4 in 8 innings in the moved doubleheader.
The Redhawks combined for 23 hits, 13 runs and 11 RBI across both contests. With the doubleheader sweep, Seattle U locked up the WAC Tournament four seed.
Opening the day, Seattle U combined for 10 hits, of which three separate Redhawks secured multiple hits in game one. Sophomore Karen Spadafora paved the way with two hits, including a double, and a run in four at bats. Both sophomore Mikee Morris and junior Taylor Fitch rounded out the trio of multi-hitters with two hits a piece.
Senior Tai Wilson scored her 45th run of the season and sixth in her last seven games. Freshman Zoe Hopkins collected her ninth run of the year in the contest.
Spadafora led the Redhawk defense with nine putouts, while graduate Jasmine Wehn and freshman Bella Ely combined for an additional nine. Sophomore Berkley Vance tied her career high and led the team with three assists.
Vance orchestrated the defense from the circle in her 11th start this year in a new career high 9.0 innings pitched. She faced 35 batters while striking out seven of them, allowing four hits and two runs to capture her ninth win of the season.
Sophomore Mikee Morris led off the day with a single before Fitch recorded one of her own facing one out. With Wilson in scoring position, Wehn grabbed a base hit to advance both runners. Wilson scored off a UTA throwing error. Vance stepped into the circle in the bottom of the first, taking down all three batters while picking up two strikeouts.
Neither team scored through the next two frames, while the Redhawk defense turned a double play and Vance picked up her third strikeout of the day. Seattle U extended its lead in the top of the fourth. Facing two outs, Spadafora singled before Ely reached on a UTA error. The pair both advanced into scoring position as freshman Camryn Johnson came up to the plate. An RBI single by Johnson drew in Spadafora to put the Redhawks up 2-0 after the fourth. Vance struck out an additional two batters in the bottom of the fourth.
Once more the defenses went to work to keep runners from scoring between the fifth and sixth innings. The Mavericks struck back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring off a home run and a walk. Wilson locked up the final out and Vance grabbed her fifth strikeout to escape the inning.
The Redhawks forced another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth, with Vance locking up her sixth strikeout. Sophomore Avari Morris opened the ninth with a single before Spadafora reached. Hopkins entered to pinch run for Spadafora as Ely advanced Hopkins to third with a base hit down the right line. Facing one out, sophomore Sophia Kissling grounded out to second to allow Hopkins to score the go-ahead run.
UTA got a runner aboard in the ninth facing one out before the Redhawks took down the game tying run at second. Down to the final batter, the Mavericks popped up to Mikee Morris and the shortstop iced the game for Seattle U 3-2.
Returning half an hour later for the rubber match after evening the series, Seattle U posted 13 hits and 10 runs to take the series victory and doubleheader sweep.
Fitch led the Redhawks with three hits, including a double, two runs, and an RBI in five at bats. Her three hits and two runs matched her career highs. Three additional Redhawks went for multiple hits. Spadafora recorded her third straight game with two hits, while cataloging her tenth home run of the season. She scored two runs and tallied 2 RBI in four at bats. Mikee Morris and Avari Morris also tacked on two hits in game two and scored one run each. Avari picked up 2 RBI.
Senior Nicola Simpson, Wehn, Ely and Kissling combined for the final four hits of the day and scored three runs between the group. Wehn led the defense with nine putouts, while Spadafora added an additional five. Mikee Morris was one assist shy of her season high, collecting five.
Avari Morris got the start from the circle and pitched for 4.0 innings. She faced 14 batters and struck out one while only allowing two hits. Senior Naomi Chaidez made an appearance and faced six batters while striking out one before Simpson entered for the remainder. Simpson pitched 3.2 innings en route to her ninth win of the season. She faced 18 batters and struck out three only allowing three hits.
Game two opened with a defensive slugfest before the Redhawks broke through first in the top of the third off of a solo shot out of center field by Spadafora. Neither team scored until the bottom of the fifth. The Mavericks burst through with their largest lead of the day. Capitalizing on an error and loaded bases, UTA scored four off two hits to lead by three runs.
No stranger to crafting comebacks, the Redhawks came back to counter in the top of the sixth. Mikee Morris singled through second base before Wilson advanced her to second after grounding out to first. Facing two outs, Fitch doubled out to right center to allow Morris to score. Wehn was subsequently walked before Hopkins entered to pinch run. Simpson singled through right field to advance Hopkins to second and to score Fitch. Avari Morris followed up with a base hit of her own to score Hopkins to even the contest 4-all after the sixth.
The Redhawks picked up two outs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings before the Mavericks threatened with the bases loaded. Simpson shut down UTA with a strikeout to force additional innings.
Seattle U came alive in the top of the eighth posting six runs on five hits and capitalizing on two UTA errors. Fitch kicked off the inning with a base hit before Wehn doubled to left center. Simpson reached first on a Maverick error to load the bases with no outs. Avari and Spadafora continued the parade, each recording RBI singles before Ely reached first and Spadafora safely made it to second after a UTA throwing error.
Kissling advanced both Spadafora and Ely into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Mikee scored Spadafora with an RBI single. Ely scored the final run of the inning after the Mavericks grabbed the second out at second before shutting down the Redhawks with the final out.
With the damage dealt, the Mavericks got a runner on, facing one out after a hit. Seattle U went for the lead runner before UTA sent up its final batter. Senior KJ Hopfer and Wehn wrapped up the final out at first to secure the comeback 10-4 victory in 8 innings for Seattle U.
The Redhawks return to action next week as the WAC Tournament's four seed. They will face the winner of No. 5 Abilene Christian and No. 8 Utah Valley on Wednesday, May 7 at John C. Funk Stadium in Riverside, California at 7 PM.
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The Redhawks combined for 23 hits, 13 runs and 11 RBI across both contests. With the doubleheader sweep, Seattle U locked up the WAC Tournament four seed.
Opening the day, Seattle U combined for 10 hits, of which three separate Redhawks secured multiple hits in game one. Sophomore Karen Spadafora paved the way with two hits, including a double, and a run in four at bats. Both sophomore Mikee Morris and junior Taylor Fitch rounded out the trio of multi-hitters with two hits a piece.
Senior Tai Wilson scored her 45th run of the season and sixth in her last seven games. Freshman Zoe Hopkins collected her ninth run of the year in the contest.
Spadafora led the Redhawk defense with nine putouts, while graduate Jasmine Wehn and freshman Bella Ely combined for an additional nine. Sophomore Berkley Vance tied her career high and led the team with three assists.
Vance orchestrated the defense from the circle in her 11th start this year in a new career high 9.0 innings pitched. She faced 35 batters while striking out seven of them, allowing four hits and two runs to capture her ninth win of the season.
Sophomore Mikee Morris led off the day with a single before Fitch recorded one of her own facing one out. With Wilson in scoring position, Wehn grabbed a base hit to advance both runners. Wilson scored off a UTA throwing error. Vance stepped into the circle in the bottom of the first, taking down all three batters while picking up two strikeouts.
Neither team scored through the next two frames, while the Redhawk defense turned a double play and Vance picked up her third strikeout of the day. Seattle U extended its lead in the top of the fourth. Facing two outs, Spadafora singled before Ely reached on a UTA error. The pair both advanced into scoring position as freshman Camryn Johnson came up to the plate. An RBI single by Johnson drew in Spadafora to put the Redhawks up 2-0 after the fourth. Vance struck out an additional two batters in the bottom of the fourth.
Once more the defenses went to work to keep runners from scoring between the fifth and sixth innings. The Mavericks struck back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring off a home run and a walk. Wilson locked up the final out and Vance grabbed her fifth strikeout to escape the inning.
The Redhawks forced another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth, with Vance locking up her sixth strikeout. Sophomore Avari Morris opened the ninth with a single before Spadafora reached. Hopkins entered to pinch run for Spadafora as Ely advanced Hopkins to third with a base hit down the right line. Facing one out, sophomore Sophia Kissling grounded out to second to allow Hopkins to score the go-ahead run.
UTA got a runner aboard in the ninth facing one out before the Redhawks took down the game tying run at second. Down to the final batter, the Mavericks popped up to Mikee Morris and the shortstop iced the game for Seattle U 3-2.
Returning half an hour later for the rubber match after evening the series, Seattle U posted 13 hits and 10 runs to take the series victory and doubleheader sweep.
Fitch led the Redhawks with three hits, including a double, two runs, and an RBI in five at bats. Her three hits and two runs matched her career highs. Three additional Redhawks went for multiple hits. Spadafora recorded her third straight game with two hits, while cataloging her tenth home run of the season. She scored two runs and tallied 2 RBI in four at bats. Mikee Morris and Avari Morris also tacked on two hits in game two and scored one run each. Avari picked up 2 RBI.
Senior Nicola Simpson, Wehn, Ely and Kissling combined for the final four hits of the day and scored three runs between the group. Wehn led the defense with nine putouts, while Spadafora added an additional five. Mikee Morris was one assist shy of her season high, collecting five.
Avari Morris got the start from the circle and pitched for 4.0 innings. She faced 14 batters and struck out one while only allowing two hits. Senior Naomi Chaidez made an appearance and faced six batters while striking out one before Simpson entered for the remainder. Simpson pitched 3.2 innings en route to her ninth win of the season. She faced 18 batters and struck out three only allowing three hits.
Game two opened with a defensive slugfest before the Redhawks broke through first in the top of the third off of a solo shot out of center field by Spadafora. Neither team scored until the bottom of the fifth. The Mavericks burst through with their largest lead of the day. Capitalizing on an error and loaded bases, UTA scored four off two hits to lead by three runs.
No stranger to crafting comebacks, the Redhawks came back to counter in the top of the sixth. Mikee Morris singled through second base before Wilson advanced her to second after grounding out to first. Facing two outs, Fitch doubled out to right center to allow Morris to score. Wehn was subsequently walked before Hopkins entered to pinch run. Simpson singled through right field to advance Hopkins to second and to score Fitch. Avari Morris followed up with a base hit of her own to score Hopkins to even the contest 4-all after the sixth.
The Redhawks picked up two outs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings before the Mavericks threatened with the bases loaded. Simpson shut down UTA with a strikeout to force additional innings.
Seattle U came alive in the top of the eighth posting six runs on five hits and capitalizing on two UTA errors. Fitch kicked off the inning with a base hit before Wehn doubled to left center. Simpson reached first on a Maverick error to load the bases with no outs. Avari and Spadafora continued the parade, each recording RBI singles before Ely reached first and Spadafora safely made it to second after a UTA throwing error.
Kissling advanced both Spadafora and Ely into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Mikee scored Spadafora with an RBI single. Ely scored the final run of the inning after the Mavericks grabbed the second out at second before shutting down the Redhawks with the final out.
With the damage dealt, the Mavericks got a runner on, facing one out after a hit. Seattle U went for the lead runner before UTA sent up its final batter. Senior KJ Hopfer and Wehn wrapped up the final out at first to secure the comeback 10-4 victory in 8 innings for Seattle U.
The Redhawks return to action next week as the WAC Tournament's four seed. They will face the winner of No. 5 Abilene Christian and No. 8 Utah Valley on Wednesday, May 7 at John C. Funk Stadium in Riverside, California at 7 PM.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a gift to Seattle University Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly impacts all Redhawk student athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. Thank you for supporting Seattle University Athletics!
Follow Along With the Action
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.