RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A gritty comeback and a walk off single from sophomore Avari Morris punched No. 4 Seattle U softball's (28-24) ticket to the WAC Tournament semifinal after defeating No. 3 Southern Utah (18-27) 5-4 at John C. Funk Stadium on Thursday night.
The Redhawks make their way back to the WAC tournament semifinal for the fifth time in the past six seasons, excluding the missed 2020 season.
Junior Taylor Fitch paced the team with three hits, including a double, in four at bats, while scoring a run and picking up her 48th RBI of the season. Senior Nicola Simpson joined in as the second Redhawk with multiple hits on the evening, knocking out two. Graduate Jasmine Wehn led the team with two RBI while also recording a double.
Sophomore Mikee Morris led off the night with her fifth home run of the season. She would end the game with two runs scored. Sophomore Sophia Kissling continued her tournament hitting streak, picking up a base hit and scoring a run, while fellow sophomore Avari Morris dialed up her hit, a crucial RBI single, in two at bats.
Wehn paced the Redhawk defense with eight putouts, while sophomore Karen Spadafora went for five. Fitch led the team with three assists.
Leading from the circle and earning the start was Avari Morris, who pitched for 2.0 innings. She faced six batters and struck out one without allowing a hit or a run. Sophomore Berkley Vance pitched 4.1 innings of the contest facing 22 batters and striking out three. Simpson entered for the final 0.2 innings to bag her 10th win as the relief. She faced three batters and struck out one.
Avari kicked off the contest orchestrating with a 1-2-3 inning before sister Mikee launched the first hit of the evening with a solo shot out of left center field. Fitch and Wehn, facing one out, posted back-to-back doubles to take the early 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Avari Morris sent down the subsequent three Southern Utah batters, capping the inning with a strikeout. Both teams went scoreless through the third and fourth frames before the Thunderbirds struck back in the top of the fifth. They evened the contest 2-all behind four hits before Vance shut down the inning with a strikeout.
SU and Southern Utah each grabbed one hit a piece in the sixth but couldn't generate a run to break the tie before the Thunderbirds drafted up their first lead of the day in the top of the seventh. They scored two runs off two hits to take the lead 4-2.
No stranger to late game rallies, Seattle U dug in deep and quickly loaded up the bases with no outs. Kissling kickstarted the comeback with a base hit out past third before Mikee was walked. Senior Tai Wilson reached first safely off a Southern Utah error to put three runners on for Fitch with no outs. Fitch dialed in her 48th RBI of the year with a single to left, bringing in Kissling to make it a one run game.
Wehn reached first while Mikee scored safely after beating the attempted out at home to even the game 4-all. Avari returned to the contest facing one out with the bases still loaded and crafted the walk off RBI single just over first base to score Wilson, her 48th run of the year, to cement the 5-4 comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
The Redhawks return to action tomorrow to take on No. 8 Utah Valley at 4 PM at John C. Funk Stadium. Winner will advance to take on the loser of game nine, either No. 2 Tarleton State or No. 1 Grand Canyon, at 7 PM Friday evening.
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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.
The Redhawks make their way back to the WAC tournament semifinal for the fifth time in the past six seasons, excluding the missed 2020 season.
Junior Taylor Fitch paced the team with three hits, including a double, in four at bats, while scoring a run and picking up her 48th RBI of the season. Senior Nicola Simpson joined in as the second Redhawk with multiple hits on the evening, knocking out two. Graduate Jasmine Wehn led the team with two RBI while also recording a double.
Sophomore Mikee Morris led off the night with her fifth home run of the season. She would end the game with two runs scored. Sophomore Sophia Kissling continued her tournament hitting streak, picking up a base hit and scoring a run, while fellow sophomore Avari Morris dialed up her hit, a crucial RBI single, in two at bats.
Wehn paced the Redhawk defense with eight putouts, while sophomore Karen Spadafora went for five. Fitch led the team with three assists.
Leading from the circle and earning the start was Avari Morris, who pitched for 2.0 innings. She faced six batters and struck out one without allowing a hit or a run. Sophomore Berkley Vance pitched 4.1 innings of the contest facing 22 batters and striking out three. Simpson entered for the final 0.2 innings to bag her 10th win as the relief. She faced three batters and struck out one.
Avari kicked off the contest orchestrating with a 1-2-3 inning before sister Mikee launched the first hit of the evening with a solo shot out of left center field. Fitch and Wehn, facing one out, posted back-to-back doubles to take the early 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Avari Morris sent down the subsequent three Southern Utah batters, capping the inning with a strikeout. Both teams went scoreless through the third and fourth frames before the Thunderbirds struck back in the top of the fifth. They evened the contest 2-all behind four hits before Vance shut down the inning with a strikeout.
SU and Southern Utah each grabbed one hit a piece in the sixth but couldn't generate a run to break the tie before the Thunderbirds drafted up their first lead of the day in the top of the seventh. They scored two runs off two hits to take the lead 4-2.
No stranger to late game rallies, Seattle U dug in deep and quickly loaded up the bases with no outs. Kissling kickstarted the comeback with a base hit out past third before Mikee was walked. Senior Tai Wilson reached first safely off a Southern Utah error to put three runners on for Fitch with no outs. Fitch dialed in her 48th RBI of the year with a single to left, bringing in Kissling to make it a one run game.
Wehn reached first while Mikee scored safely after beating the attempted out at home to even the game 4-all. Avari returned to the contest facing one out with the bases still loaded and crafted the walk off RBI single just over first base to score Wilson, her 48th run of the year, to cement the 5-4 comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
The Redhawks return to action tomorrow to take on No. 8 Utah Valley at 4 PM at John C. Funk Stadium. Winner will advance to take on the loser of game nine, either No. 2 Tarleton State or No. 1 Grand Canyon, at 7 PM Friday evening.
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.