EUGENE, Ore. – The Beacons got the season underway this weekend at the wet and wild Northwest Cup, hosted by Concordia University at Hood View Park in Clackamas. The Beacons went 1-5 to start the season and established their speed game with 15 stolen bases. Sophomore Parker Bonife hit .545 on the week with six hits, including two home runs and four RBI.

Simpson University 9, Northwest Christian 0 (5 inn.)

The Beacons opened up play on Saturday with a five-inning loss to Simpson University. The Red Hawks posted eight hits while holding the Beacons to just three hits of their own. Randi Kostner, Jill Suratt, and Kaeli Massetto each contributed singles. Freshman Katie Walker (0-1) took the loss for NCU in her debut, allowing six earned runs over 3.1 innings while striking out three.

British Columbia 19, Northwest Christian 14 (5 inn.)

20 hits and 12 errors combined to give NCU a new record for highest combined score, beating out the 24-run total set against Oregon Tech on April 17, 2006. The rain and field conditions wreaked havoc on both teams and a dry ball replacement was required after nearly every pitch. The game was called after five innings because of rain.

Gabby Stover and Jill Suratt had two hits apiece for the Beacons, Suratt adding a team-high three RBI. Stover and Parker Bonife each hit their first home runs of the season while Kostner batted 1-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored. NCU collected six stolen bases in the contest, including two apiece for Suratt and Laynee Bevans.

Suratt opened the game up in the pitching circle and suffered the loss, despite allowing just one earned run over the first three innings.

Willamette 3, Northwest Christian 2 (5 inn.)

The Beacons closed out the first day with a narrow defeat at the hands of Willamette in a game that was called after five innings due to a torrential downpour.

Freshman Bre Johnson made her pitching debut for the Beacons, allowing two earned runs over 4.2 innings while striking out three. Offensively, NCU had four hits from four players. In the fourth inning, Kostner pounded out a double, scoring on Stover's single.

Northwest Christian 10, Pacific Lutheran 5

In their first full seven-inning contest, NCU put away the Lutes for their first win of the 2014 campaign on Sunday morning. The Beacons pounded out 12 hits from seven different players and Suratt (1-1) picked up the victory in relief, allowing two runs in four innings of relief, striking out three batters.

Four players had multi-hit games for NCU, led by a 3-for-4 day by Jazzy Villaruel that including a double, two runs, and two RBI. Bevans, Stover, and Addy Hoskins had two hits apiece. Suratt batted 1-for-4 with three RBI, and Bonife crushed her second homer of the weekend, scored two runs and had a pair of RBI.

Simpson 5, Northwest Christian 1 (5 Inn.)

The Beacons played Simpson for a second time and suffered a similar result in a game shortened due to time constraints in the tournament. Jordan Bennett (0-1) got her first start of the season. Bonife continued her hot start, hitting 1-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base.

Saint Martin's 14, Northwest Christian 7

NCU closed out the tournament with another tough weather contest, allowing 18 hits to SMU. Johnson (0-2) suffered the loss in relief. The Beacons pounded out seven hits of their own. Massetto had a pair of doubles and registered three RBI, while Bonife and Kostner also had two hits apiece.


Head Coach Julie Strand said that despite the record after the opening weekend she saw aspects of a team that has improved dramatically since 2013. She said, "I am ecstatic with our aggression. We had really aggressive base running and we kept pushing and forcing the other teams to make plays. We were also stringing hits together, which is something we couldn't do a lot of last season, leaving a lot of runners on base."

The Beacons are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday against Corban University after Monday's scheduled double dip against Pacific in Forest Grove was cancelled.