FULLERTON, Calif. - Seattle University softball (11-8) combined for 19 hits and 17 runs spanning its day two games at the Judi Garman Classic, defeating East Texas A&M (5-16) 7-1 before falling in an offensive battle with No. 8 ranked UCLA (17-3) 16-10 on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Mikee Morris led the Redhawks against the Lions recording two hits, two RBI and two runs in three at bats. She was one of three Redhawks with multiple hits against the Lions. Fellow junior Karen Spadafora tallied two hits for 3 RBI and scored two runs as both hits went for extra bases. Morris recorded her first triple of the season, while Spadafora tallied her third home run of the year.
Junior Sophia Kissling posted two hits and two runs to round out the trio, while recording an RBI. Senior Taylor Fitch, freshman Oona Capristo and junior Avari Morris each logged hits in the contest, with Morris tallying an RBI and Capristo a run.
Guiding the defense was Spadafora with nine putouts. Fitch posted three putouts and three assists at shortstop. Leading from the circle and collecting the win was freshman Kaia Galaviz. She pitched 6.0 innings and faced 25 batters while striking out a season high eight batters. Avari Morris pitched the final 1.0 inning where she faced five batters and struck out one without conceding a hit or a run.
The Lions struck first with a solo shot home run at the top of the first before Galaviz handed out three strikeouts. Seattle U struck back with a run in the bottom of the first after Spadafora’s RBI double to score Mikee Morris. Galaviz constructed two more strikeouts in the top of the second to hold the Lions scoreless before Kissling’s ground out to short allowed senior Brooklyn Jones to score for SU’s go ahead run.
Galaviz collected her sixth strikeout of the contest in the top of the third to keep the Lions scoreless in the frame. Capristo and Kissling went back-to-back with singles in the bottom of the fourth before both advanced into scoring position following a wild pitch. Facing one out, Mikee Morris launched a triple down the right field line to score both Capristo and Kissling. Sister Avari Morris’ ground out scored Mikee to build SU’s lead to 5-1 after the fourth.
The Redhawks infield led the defense in the top of the fifth, orchestrating a three up, three down inning. Spadafora came up first in the bottom of the fifth and sent out her third homer of the season to give the Redhawks the 6-1 advantage after the fifth. Galaviz tallied her two strikeouts in the sixth before Spadafora recorded the RBI off a fielder’s choice that allowed Kissling to score SU’s final run of the contest. Galaviz led the defense to the final three outs of the game, grabbing her eighth strikeout of the day to secure the 7-1 victory for the Redhawks.
Seattle U returned later in the afternoon for its second game featuring a top-10 opponent in as many weekends as the Redhawks squared off with No. 8 UCLA.
Three Redhawks recorded multiple hits against the Bruins with freshman pinch hitter Audrey Borup leading the team with a six RBI after recording two hits in two at bats. Borup recorded her first home run of her career.
Avari Morris went for two hits, one for extra bases, and two runs while sister Mikee Morris matched her with two hits and two runs. Fitch, Spadafora, graduate Jay Ross and sophomore Abbie Fales each posted a hit in the game. Ross matched the Morris’ with two runs.
Kissling led the defense with five putouts from center field, while Fitch matched her day high of three assists. Junior Berkley Vance earned the start in the circle and pitched for 3.0 innings. She faced 23 batters. Junior Ellie Bostedt pitched 0.2 innings and faced seven batters while striking out one. Galaviz closed the contest with 2.0 innings pitched and faced nine batters. Sophomore Maya Mesa relieved Vance for 1.1 innings and faced 12 batters.
The Bruins struck first with a run following a sac fly before the Redhawks stranded three runners. Seattle U rattled off the game with three straight singles from both Morris’ and Fitch. Both Avari and Mikee scored to give the Redhawks their first lead of the day, 2-1, following the first.
Both teams went scoreless in the second as the Redhawk defense kept three stranded courtesy of two putouts from Mikee Morris. UCLA recaptured the lead, 4-2, after putting up three runs in the top of the third. Facing two outs, Fales singled to advance Ross into scoring position before Jones was walked to load the bases. Borup came in to pinch hit for Capristo and hammered her first collegiate home run, a grand slam, to catapult the Redhawks back ahead of the Bruins 6-4.
UCLA responded with five runs in the top of the fourth to take its third lead of the day 9-6. Not backing down, the Redhawks crafted a four run inning to take their third lead of the contest after an RBI double from Avari Morris and a fielder’s choice by Ross. Borup pushed SU back into the lead for the second time with a 2 RBI single. Seattle U led 10-9 after the fourth.
The Bruins scored the final seven runs of the contest between the fifth and seventh innings. The Redhawks got three runners on in that time span but could not complete the comeback, falling to UCLA 16-10.
Seattle U returns for its Judi Garman Classic finale against host CSU Fullerton on Sunday at 11:45 am. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.
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