While the weather may play a major factor in their plans, all Bushnell spring sports teams are scheduled to be in action this weekend.
 
SOFTBALL
 
Friday 3/14 vs. Carroll, 2:00 pm
Saturday 3/15 vs. Carroll, 11:00 am
 
THIS WEEK: If mother nature cooperates, the Beacons are scheduled for four-game series with Carroll College this weekend at Rich Schwab Field. Currently scheduled for a first-pitch at 2:30 pm on Friday, this time fluctuate. Please look for potential updates on BushnellBeacons.com or the Bushnell Athletics and Softball Instagram pages.
 
LAST WEEK: The Beacons were swept in a four-game series on the road at the No. 24-ranked College of Idaho.  
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: The Cascade Conference continues to get stronger with four teams ranked in the NAIA's top-25, including No. 1 Southern Oregon, No. 2 Oregon Tech, No. 14 Eastern Oregon, and No. 24 CI. SOU leads the CCC with a 6-0 record, followed by British Columbia and EOU at 5-1.
 
Bushnell (5-11, 0-6) is the only team still looking for their first victory. The Beacons currently rank fourth in the CCC with a 2.51 combined team ERA. Individually, Emily Cole is fifth in the conference with a 1.81 ERA, striking out 43 batters in 46.1 innings.
 
Offensively, the Beacons are eighth in the conference in hitting with a .197 batting average. Violet  Richardson ranks eighth in the CCC with a .421 batting average and leads the conference in both home runs (4) and extra-base hits (9).
 
CARROLL: The Saints (5-11, 2-4 CCC) have lost six straight games, with the last four coming at the hands of No. 1 Southern Oregon as they were out-scored 26-1 over the series.
 
Carroll is currently eighth in the CCC in pitching with a 6.62 team ERA. Opponents are hitting .336 against them and they have 69 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. Kennedy Venner (4-5) is 19th in the CCC with a 6.22 ERA. She has 36 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.
 
The Saints offense is seventh in the CCC, with a .266 combined batting average. Kenna Thomas leads the team and is 16th in the CCC with a .371 batting average. Her three home runs rank second behind Bushnell's Richardson.
 
Carroll holds a 25-7 lead in the all-time series and come in winning eight straight over the past two seasons.
 
BASEBALL
 
Saturday 3/15 at The College of Idaho, 12:00 pm (MT)
Sunday 3/16 vs. Corban, 11:00 am (MT)
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons aim to stay on top in the Cascade Conference as they hit the road for Caldwell, Idaho to take on the College of Idaho Yotes for a four-game set.    
 
LAST WEEK: The Beacons have won six straight, including a four-game sweep of Corban and a mid-week non-conference win over Linfield on Tuesday.   
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: Three teams currently sit on top of the Cascade Conference standings with No. 24 Lewis-Clark State, Bushnell and University of British Columbia all at 7-2.
 
The Beacons (17-3, 7-2 CCC) lead the Cascade Conference, and are ranked No. 13 in the NAIA in pitching, holding a 3.78 team Earned Run Average. The Beacons also lead the conference in opponent batting average, Bushnell's pitchers also lead the CCC for opponent batting average (.232), wins (17), saves (9), and pick offs (6).
 
Austin Wolfe (3.38), Max Chapman (3.41), and Braden Proud (3.42) rank fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively in the conference for ERA. Wolfe is allowing opponents to hit just .195 against him, which leads the conference.
 
Offensively, the Beacons are fifth in the conference with a .283 batting average and rank second with 27 home runs and third with 70 extra-base hits.  Individually, Will Hudler ranks second in the CCC with a .451 batting average and leads the conference with a .882 slugging percentage. Hudler and Jordan Wilson are tied for fifth with six home runs apiece.
 
COLLEGE OF IDAHO: After a promising non-conference session, the Yotes (12-9, 2-7) come into the weekend having lost six straight and tied for sixth-place in the CCC.

College of Idaho is sixth in the CCC for Earned Run Average at 6.54, yet they lead the CCC with 183 strikeouts. Nate Vidlak leads the staff, with a 2.29 ERA and 19 K's in 19.2 innings and opponents hitting just .240 against him.
 
They are hitting .300 as a team, which ranks third in the CCC. Connor Olsen leads the team, hitting .372 with Jack Ingraham close behind at .368.
 
The College of Idaho holds a slim 9-7 lead in the all-time series and the teams have evenly split their eight games played in Caldwell. Last season they split a four-game series as well, but the Beacons have won five of the last seven meetings.
 
TRACK & FIELD
 
Saturday, 3/15 at Lane Community College
 
LAST WEEK: The Beacons got the outdoor season off to a strong start at George Fox, where they earned a total of 14 qualifications for the Cascade Conference championships.
 
NAIA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Just a week removed from claiming a runner-up finish at the NAIA Indoor National Championship, and earning All-American honors, Wellman landed a "B" qualifying mark for Outdoor, winning the Long Jump with a leap of 7.33 meters (24-00.75). He was the best collegiate finisher by nearly two-and-a-half feet, and posted the top mark this season in both the Cascade Conference and the NAIA. He was named both the CCC and NAIA Field Athlete of the Week for his efforts.
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons will have their best chance this season for fan support as they compete at Lane Community College here in Eugene. A huge portion of the team will be in action and looking for a solid crowd to cheer them on in the rain!
 
GOLF
 
Saturday-Sunday, 3/15-16 at Willamette Open
 
LAST WEEK: The Bushnell women's team took sixth-place at the Pacific Invitational over the weekend at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course. The men hosted their annual Bandon Crossings Match Play event, with eight teams competing. The Beacons took seventh place, falling to Corban and Southwestern Oregon Community College before defeating Skagit Valley College in the final round.
 
THIS WEEK: Both teams are scheduled to be in Salem this weekend at Creekside Golf Course for the Willamette Open.
 
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
 
Sunday, 3/16 at University of Portland
 
LAST WEEK: Bushnell came home on Tuesday, continuing Cascade Collegiate Conference play against No. 2-ranked Corban University, who swept a pair of matches.  
 
THIS WEEK: The Beacons have the weekend off from CCC action, giving them a chance to hit the road for the University of Portland on Sunday afternoon.  
 
PORTLAND: The Pilots (1-4) come into the weekend on the heels of their first win of the season, having defeated Southern Oregon University, 3-2 on March 1.
 
The Beacons are 1-6 all-time against the Pilots, and loss to them three times last season, all by a score of 3-2. Bushnell's win, their first and only against an NCAA Division I opponent, came in 2023.
 
ESPORTS
 
Monday, 3/17: Teamfight Tactics, FC 25, 5:00 pm
Tuesday, 3/18: NBA 2K, Fortnite
Wednesday 3/19: CFB 25, 5:00 p.m.
 
Bushnell Esports opens the seventh week of the spring season, beginning with postseason play in TFT. Zack Claunch finished the regular season in second place in the top division, meaning he will be the top seed in his lobby on Monday. Each lobby will play three semi-final games, with the top four players from each lobby advancing to the finals.
 
Andrew Bennett will be competing in a last chance qualifier for FC 25. Every team with four wins will compete to earn the remaining spots in the 32-team postseason tournament.
 
Mason Monrroy will also be competing in a last chance qualifier, but for NBA 2K. His four wins in the regular season earned him a chance at making the playoff tournament. Caden Hoerauf will have a last chance qualifier in College Football after advancing to the postseason with four wins. 
 
The Beacons will finish off the regular season in Fortnite on Tuesday. The top-50 teams advance to the playoffs. Nick McGowen and Nathan Farris/Claunch currently hold a postseason spot.