EUGENE, Ore. – The Beacons may have missed out on the Cascade Conference post-season by just one game, but they were able to end the year on a high on Sunday afternoon, sweeping Northwest University.
 
The Beacons ended the season at 13-33, including a 9-18 mark in CCC play. Their overall and conference win totals are their highest since 2016 as was their seventh-place finish. The team found something to build off of, winning three straight to end the season.  
 
Head Coach Katie Duroe said, 'The girls played with so much heart and soul this weekend. The fight they had was so fun to watch. The team that took the field for our first preseason game is completely different than the one that played this weekend. Watching the growth of this group has been so much fun to see and how they came together to play for each other was amazing."
 
GAME ONE: Bushnell 5, Northwest 4 (8 Innings)
 
Freshman Faith Wayman (pictured) played the role of hero in the opener, punching a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to secure the victory, as Bushnell won their fourth CCC series of the season. The Beacons had 11 hits in the game, their third double-digit hit game in a row.
 
"Our defense played solid behind our pitchers," said Head Coach Katie Duroe, "and our bats stayed hot."
 
An RBI single from Anabel Mendez gave the Beacons an early lead but things took a turn on the bottom of the first. As valiantly as Miranda Jensen had pitched through a bad back for a number of weeks, things came to a head on Sunday as she was unable to get out of the inning, giving up four runs.
 
Sam Silver came in to get a lineout to end the first and proceeded to throw one-hitter the rest of the way to secure the victory.
 
The Eagles, however, still held a 4-1 lead going into the sixth inning. Bushnell began to mount their comeback, with Jordan Kuykendall scoring on an RBI triple from Mendez, who later scored on a single from Lilly Bauer. Then, in the top of the seventh the Beacons tied the game as Anna Cardwell led off the inning with a double and later scored on a RBI walk to Kuykendall.
 
That led to another extra-inning game and gave Wayman the opportunity to produce the fireworks in the eighth. Duroe said, "We were really excited for Faith. She had been hitting solid all series and her first collegiate home run was a huge one."
 
GAME TWO:  Bushnell 4, Northwest 1 
 
A three-run first-inning homer for Mendez and five brilliant innings in the circle for Leslie Reynaga amounted to a season-ending victory for Bushnell.
 
Duroe said, 'The team played their hearts out and were determined to finish the day with a win for our seniors. Leslie pitched a heck of a game for the first five innings."
 
Reynaga set the tone, striking out seven batters and allowing just three hits over five innings of work. Shay Shropshire, would had only pitched to one batter since an injury in late February, was able to take the circle for the sixth inning, and went scoreless, striking out two batters. "The team was so excited for Shay and really got behind her, cheering so loud the whole time she was on the mound," said Duroe. I was so happy to see her do well."
 
Jensen closed things out in the seventh and was able to end her career with a solid inning, striking out two batters as well.
 
Jensen was also able to secure the Beacons battling title, ending the year with a .396 batting average. It was the best for a Bushnell player in 19 years and was followed by Mendez, who ended with a .389 average after going 10-for-14 over the series. Mendez had been hitting .237 just three weeks ago.
 
Sunday was the final day for Jensen, along with Kerry Murphy, Noel Balderston and Anna Cardwell. Coach Duroe said, "We are going to miss our seniors so much. They all have left their mark on our program and now our younger players will build upon the foundation they set and continue to build our program up."