REDDING, Calif. – A lot of good things happened for the NCU softball team during their first weekend of action, but only one game found its way to the win column in the Simpson University Invitational.
 
Janieve Boyles (pictured) began her junior campaign on a high note, going 17.1 innings without allowing an earned run. She was a hard-luck loser in the 1-0 loss to St. Katherine to open this season but rebounded on Tuesday with a complete-game three-hitter on Saturday as the Beacons defeated Menlo College, 4-2. Boyles also had 4.1 innings of relief work, and allowed four hits and two unearned runs in those.
 
A pair of Beacon freshmen also started the season off with a bang, combining to hit 13-for-21. Paige Griffith (Mosdesto, Calif) was 7-for-9, owning a double, a triple, and three RBI while Kyndle DelCollo (Roseburg) hit 6-for-12 with three RBI.
 
Ashlee Cole collected four hits on the weekend but had three go for extra bases. She had two doubles as well as a game-winning two-run homer in top of the seventh inning of the win over Menlo.
 
NCU will be right back on the diamond next weekend, traveling to Portland to play in the Northwest Cup, hosted by former Cascade Collegiate Conference member Concordia University. The Beacons will have a tough task as they face both the host and NCAA DII power Concordia-Irvine during their four-game schedule.