REDDING, Calif. – The Bushnell softball team opened the 2021 season on Wednesday with a road double-header as they were swept by Simpson University, 8-0 and 10-2.
 
Both games ended early, via the run rule, but for third-year head coach Katie Duroe it wasn't about the final score on Wednesday. She said, 'We were blessed to be able to get back on the field today, face live pitching, and play on dirt for the first time in 11 months. Overall, we played well and the score reflects two bad innings that we had."
 
The first game, which ended in six innings, featured a powerful pitching performance from Red Hawk senior Sydney Moorhead who ended the day with a two-hitter, striking out nine Beacon hitters in the process.
 
Simpson manufactured two runs in the second, four in the fifth and another pair in the sixth, tagging Beacon starter Shay Shropshire for 13 hits.
 
Senior leadership prevailed for the Beacons as Noel Balderston and Anna Cardwell were responsible for Bushnell's pair of single.
 
Cardwell (pictured) continued her hot hitting in the second game, going 2-for-2 including a two-RBI double in the third inning that accounted for all of the Bushnell scoring on the day. Unfortunately, an eight-run first inning for the Red Hawks made for an insurmountable deficit.
 
The first road trip provided both strong learning moments for the Beacons, as well as some highlight-reel plays that place focus on the optimism the team has for the 2021 season. "Our offense wasn't aggressive enough in the first game," said Duroe, "but we did much better in game two jumping on the count early. We need to work on adjusting to umpire strike zones, but overall we had a lot of great moments. Suzi Krstic made some crazy plays at shortstop. Alyssa Ferreira threw a runner out at home from center field. We had an impressive 1-2-3 inning with Miranda Jensen pitching where all three balls went to Sam Silver at third."
 
With the opening day jitters successfully in the rear-view mirror, the Beacons will look ahead to Friday, February 19 when they will be in Newberg for a non-conference double-header at George Fox University.