GLENDALE, Ariz. – It was splitsville again for the Beacons as they wrapped up their Arizona road trip on Saturday at Arizona Christian, taking a 1-0 pitching duel in the opener before falling 6-1 in the night cap.
 
Bushnell finished the trip with a 4-2 record, moving their mark to 5-3 overall for their best start to a season since 2009.  
 
GAME ONE: BUSHNELL 1, ARIZONA CHRISTIAN 0
 
Sara Martin (3-0) had her best start of the year for the Beacons, striking out two batters and scattering five hits in a complete game shutout.
 
The Beacons manages just four hits of their own, but it was two that mattered most as the visitors scored the game's only run in the fifth inning. Violet Richardson doubled to lead off the inning and, after being sacrificed to third by Gracie Hamilton, scored on a single from Marina Castaneda. Richardson was 2-for-3 in the game.
 
GAME TWO: BENEDICTINE 6, BUSHNELL 1
 
The Beacons continued their strong efforts in the circle in game two, but were victimized by a defensive miscue in the bottom of the fourth inning that led to all six runs coming across unearned to started Emily Cole (2-2). Cole ended up allowing just one earned run over 15.2 innings of work in Arizona.
 
The Beacons managed plenty of productivity at the plate, out-hitting the Firebirds 10-8. Completing the task became the problem, however, as Bushnell stranded 11 runners in the game, including leaving the bases loaded in the second inning.
 
Bushnell's lone run came in the sixth when Castaneda led off with a double and scored on a Hamilton single. Hamilton finished the game hitting 2-for-2 while Riley Peeler and Taylor Kenworthy also had multiple hits for the Beacons. Richardson managed a single in the second inning to extend a six-game hitting streak.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Beacons return to Eugene next weekend and will play their home openers on Sunday afternoon with a scheduled double-header against Pacific University, who will be playing their first games of the year. The first pitch for the opener is scheduled for 1:00 pm.