SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Playing their first games in their new digs at the Les Schwab Sports Park, the Northwest Christian University softball team came away with a split on Saturday against Willamette University.
 
The Bearcats took the opener, 7-1 as starting pitcher Ashley Medina held the Beacons to three hits. Willamette scored five earned runs and spoiled a strong effort from starter Liberty Walker (pictured) who went five innings, striking out seven batters.
 
The Bearcats scattered six hits, the biggest being an RBI triple from Brianna Majors with two outs in the fifth inning.
 
NCU scored in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double from Miranda Jensen, bringing home Krystal Agaki.  
 
Game two saw the Beacons benefit from some erratic pitching, scoring their first four runs without recording a hit.
 
Opening the game with a pair of walks, the Beacons manufactured a pair of first inning runs on a Tra Kucera sacrifice fly. On that play, Peyton Poler scored from third and opportunistic base running from Miranda Jensen allowed her to come in from second after an error.
 
The Beacons added two more in the bottom of the third on RBI groundouts from Jensen and Noel Balderston. Tori Lasker and Poler both scored after opening the inning with walks.
 
NCU added their final pair in the sixth inning, this time coming off of RBI doubles from Jordan Kuykendall and Alexa Berry.
 
Senior Emma Jegtvig (1-3) got her first win of the season in the circle, striking out five batters and allowing just one run on two hits over four innings. Sophomore Shay Shropshire threw a scoreless fifth inning and freshman Anniyah Farley recorded her first career save, striking out two batters and not allowing a hit over the final two innings.
 
Of interesting note, the second game turned into the first-ever "Night" game in NCU softball history as the team was playing under lights that had previously not been available at their former home at James Park.
 
The Beacons (3-7) return to action on Friday, February 21 as they begin Cascade Collegiate Conference action against defending CCC and NAIA National Champion Southern Oregon University. The top-ranked Raiders are 11-3 on the season.