The Puget Sound softball team opened their 2012 spring season this weekend Feb. 25 against Pacific and Lewis and Clark. During the first series of games against Pacific, the Loggers were swept 5-1 in the first game and 14-10 in the second game.
Senior Aryn Grause (Corvallis, Ore.) led the Loggers in pitching and only allowed five runs and struck out 6 players from Pacific. Early in the game, Pacific scored 5 runs, but in the bottom of the fourth junior Amy Schmeckpepper (Boise, Idaho) gave the Loggers their 1st and only run. Schmeckpepper’s hit to center was enough to bring Grause home. Once the 5th inning began, the game had no more scores.
Once the second game started both teams fought hard and had an apparent explosion of energy. At the very beginning the Loggers took a quick lead thanks to senior Chrissy Atterson’s (Marysville, Wash) sac fly. Freshman Marissa Jeffers (Issaquah, Wash) was able to bring in two more runs with her hit into right center. Both teams had strong pitchers who kept the next three innings scoreless, until the sixth and seventh innings where the Loggers scored five runs and Pacific scored nine. The Logger’s bats came to life and with help from Jeffers, Schmeckpepper, and Joleen Monfiletto the Loggers were able to tie up the game 9-9. Although they battled hard it was not enough to get the win and the Loggers lost 14-10 against Pacific.
In the second series of games on Feb. 26, senior Elayna Van Hess (Aumsville, Ore.) brought the Loggers a 4-3 win against Lewis and Clark with her pitching. While pitching the second game of the series, Monfiletto also lifted the Loggers to another win.
Van Hess held Lewis and Clark to three runs on six hits, but it was not enough to help the Logger offense when they were still down 3-1. Sophomore Jenica Holt (Pleasanton, Calif.) started the rally for the Loggers, and was brought home by Atterson. Once the Loggers were at the point where they could tie or win the game, Van Hess came up to the plate. She was down to her last strike when she finally found her pitch and brought two players on base home to win the game 4-3.
Within the second game Lewis and Clark scored a run right away, but the momentum from the previous game was still with the Loggers and they tied the game 1-1 soon after Lewis and Clark’s run. Once again Jeffers and Monfiletto brought in three more girls for a 4-1 lead in the game. However, Lewis and Clark continued to push back on the Loggers and took back the lead 6-4.
In the bottom of the fifth inning there were two outs and bases loaded, Monfiletto came up to the plate. She hit a fly ball into right center and brought in all three runs for the 7-6 lead. After that the score of the game never changed and Loggers beat Lewis and Clark.
The Loggers will be playing at home next week and host George Fox in a four game double header. The first of these games starts on Saturday at noon.
PHOTO COURTESY/DAVID PENDLETON
