HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. – The bad taste of three tough games was quickly erased on Saturday afternoon as the Beacons won their final appearance in the Northwest Cup, defeating Pacific University 7-6.
 
Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, NCU exploded to score all seven runs in the inning on three hits. It was the highest single-inning output for the Beacons since a nine-run inning against College of Idaho last April. The most damage came in the form of a three-run home run from Ashlee Cole, her second dinger of the season.
 
Junior Katie Walker (pictured) picked up her first win of the season, going the distance and striking out three batters in the process.
 
The seven-run fifth ended a 20-inning drought through the first three games of the tournament as NCU faced some of the toughest competition they will see this season. They dropped the opener to Concordia University Irvine, 10-0. The Eagle recently jumped to the NCAA Division II level after many years owning a residency in the top-five of the NAIA national rankings.
 
Friday also featured an 8-0 defeat at the hands of former Cascade Conference member Concordia Portland, also a new addition to NCAA DII. On Saturday the villain was Saint Martin's, who defeated the Beacons 11-0.
 
The tournament held a handful of other individual accomplishments, along with the victory on Saturday. Senior Parker Fritter hit .400 on the weekend with four hits including three doubles. She now owns 19 doubles in her career which places her 8th on NCU's all-time list. Senior Taylor Medley and freshman Jessica Garner also had multiple hits for the Beacons.
 
NCU (2-8) is scheduled to return to the field on Friday, taking on Embry-Riddle University of Arizona in the home opener.