PORTLAND – Warner Pacific University softball closed out their preseason schedule with the final two games of what was a four-game series with Pacific University.  The Knights split the day with the Boxers falling in the first game and stealing the second. The team moves to 4-4 heading into Cascade Collegiate Conference play.
 
In two hard fought battles for the Knights, head coach Nathan Ohta was encouraged by the way his squad stepped up when needed. "The team battled in game one and even though we came up a little short, we had a lot of people step up in some key moments to help us get back in that game" he said. "It was good to see the team bounce back from a tough loss with a lot of energy and a great start in game two" Ohta added. The Knights took a quick 9-1 lead after just two innings in game two. "Overall it was a great team effort today" the head coach said. "We saw a lot of good things as coaches and have a few things that we will take back to practice this week as we get ready for the conference opener."
 
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The Rundown
Just a day ago the Knights had a total of 11 hits across two games but on Sunday the team sang a different tune, smacking the ball 13 times in just the first game.
 
Going scoreless through the first five innings, it seemed like the Boxers would take game one pretty handedly with a 6-1 victory, but the Knights used a slugfest of a seventh inning to erase the five run deficit and ultimately take a one-run lead with one half inning to go. In the one inning alone, Warner Pacific tallied up six runs on six hits, blowing through three Boxer pitchers.
 
With multiple strategic substitutions, Knights head coach Nathan Ohta found his team with zero outs and two runners on base and senior catcher Katie Gleasman stepping up to the dish. On the first pitch thrown in her direction, Gleasman sent the ball soaring over the centerfielder's visor and beyond the 225-yard mark, bringing in two additional runs. The hits continued to come for the Knights, scoring six to take the lead in hopes their defense would keep the Boxers off the plate.
 
With Knights freshman Abby Carlson on the mound, the defense behind her came up with a huge stop deep into centerfield while Carlson struck out another batter, but with two runners on base Pacific's Sydney Sahlfeld crushed a ball right down the middle for the walk-off double to end the hopes of an epic Warner Pacific comeback.
 
Despite the tough loss in game one, the Knights' spirits were high heading into the second game of the day. Aggressive from the jump, the team seemed to use the unfortunate loss as motivation, crossing the plate nine times through just the first two innings and taking a quick 9-1 lead.
 
The Boxers wouldn't go down that easy though as the team managed to score four of their own just the next inning, closing the deficit 8-5. Pacific continued to inch their way back into the ball game with another two runs in the bottom of the fourth, bringing it within just two.
 
After a heavy hitting couple of innings for the Knights, the Boxers bailed them out in the fifth, loading the bases with one hit and two walks before hitting Rian Snowadski with a pitch, forcing Bekah Roe home. The very next at bat, Emma Foster was walked, forcing another Knight score and suddenly the lead was expanded back to four.
 
It seemed the story of the night was when the Knight offense would do what they do, scoring big, their defense was always just a step behind, allowing the Boxers to remain in the game. Pacific managed to find holes in the defense for the following two innings, making it a one run game with just an inning to play.
 
Keeping the viewers of the live stream on the edge of their seats, Alexis Morrow and Emma Foster got things going for the Knights in the final inning of the day reaching bases on a walk and a single. With Valeti Fifita being hit by a pitch and bases loaded, the Knights unfortunately failed to convert, giving the Boxers yet another chance for a walk-off ending to the day.
 
Melia Croydon came in to close the game for the Knights and in suiting fashion, with the tying runner on third and another on first and with a full count at the plate, the freshman caught a line-drive to close out the day and send the Knights home with a win.
 
The Knights' offense broke late on the day but once it did, it fired on all cylinders. Macy Besuyen led the way at the plate for the Knights with five hits on the day, while Rian Snowadski batted in four players in the second game alone. Katie Gleasman crushed a 3-run homerun in the seventh inning of game one.
 
Defensively, Melia Croydon led the way for the Knights with four strikeouts and Sarah Stanfill came up with two massive pop fly catches to maintain the game two lead.
 
 
Deeper Look
The Knights move to a 3-3 record with the Boxers
Warner Pacific finished the day with 22 total hits; (9, 13)
Pacific went through three pitchers in the seventh inning of game one
 
 
Flash Forward
Warner Pacific opens up conference play on Friday, March 5^th against Eastern Oregon.