SEATTLE - Seattle University softball (18-21, 4-2 WCC) homered twice while senior Taylor Fitch crafted the 2 RBI walk off double to secure the series finale victory over WCC leader Saint Mary's (29-12, 5-1 WCC) 8-0 in six innings at Logan Field on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Avari Morris led the team, going a perfect three for three inside the batters box. Morris recorded hits in all three games against the Gaels, now holding a five game streak with at least one base hit. Morris demonstrated dominance on the base paths, securing a new career best three stolen bases. It is the most stolen bases in a single game by a Redhawk since 2018, when Nicole Bolasky set the single game record with four.
Morris tied her career high with three runs scored for the fourth time this season while recording one of four SU hits that went for extra bases. She grabbed four putouts from left field to aid the Redhawks in their shutout.
Three more Redhawks posted multi-hit performances with graduate Jay Ross recording two RBI singles. Fitch tallied two hits including her 2 RBI double that secured the win in the bottom of the sixth. Fitch led the team with 3 RBI.
Sophomore Abbie Fales recorded two hits including one of the two homers seen in the win. It was Fales’ fourth home run this season. Junior Karen Spadafora logged the other home run, earning 2 RBI on her eighth homer of the year. Senior Ava Sin also grabbed a base hit as the Redhawks recorded 11 in the victory.
Capturing SU’s second shutout win of the season from the circle was freshman Kaia Galaviz. Galaviz tossed the complete game, facing 23 batters and striking out three. She allowed only two hits without conceding a run in 6.0 innings of work.
The Redhawks offensive muscle stormed to the forefront after the first two games came down to pitcher’s duals. Seattle U racked up 11 hits in the game, the 19th performance this year with 10 or more hits in a game. It was the first shutout win since February 27 of this year, when Seattle U defeated BYU 4-0.
Galaviz quickly set the tone to open the contest, forcing the first three batters up back down while picking up two strikeouts. The Redhawk offense followed suit, with Morris doubling down the right field line before Fitch drew her in for the first run of the day with an RBI single. Spadafora battled against reigning pitcher of the week Odhi Vasquez facing two outs before sending out her eighth homer of the year to push the Redhawks ahead 3-0 after the first inning.
Saint Mary’s looked poised to respond in the second, getting three runners on before the Redhawk defense squished the offensive surge from the infield. Morris assisted Galaviz from left field, picking up two outs to aid another 1-2-3 inning in the third before picking up another base hit and her first stolen base of the day.
Once more the Gaels got a runner on, but the Redhawks turned the double play in the top of the fourth to preserve their 3-0 lead. Galaviz and the Redhawks kept the bases cleared in the fifth, forcing a three up, three down inning in the fifth. Morris reached on a walk before stealing her second base of the contest. Ross scored Morris from second with her RBI single, while advancing into scoring position off the throw. Saint Mary’s would limit the damage to one run, as the Redhawks led 4-0 after five.
SU faced its third pitcher in the bottom of the sixth after the Redhawks stranded another Gael runner in the top of the fifth. Fales led off the inning on a first pitch homer out of left center field to build the Redhawks’ lead 5-0. Senior Brooklyn Jones reached first on a walk before freshman Jaeden Sajec entered to run for Jones facing zero outs. Morris recorded her third hit of the day after Sajec stole second on the called strike of fellow freshman Audrey Borup to move Sajec to third.
Morris picked up her career high third stolen base during Ross’ at bat to put the Redhawks in scoring position. Ross scored Sajec from third with an RBI single, moving Morris over to third base facing two outs. Leading 6-0 with two runners on, Fitch logged her 2 RBI walk off winning double to pick up SU’s first conference win over Saint Mary’s in a 8-0 shutout
The Redhawks return to action next weekend when they host LMU at Logan Field for a three game series.
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