Helena, Mont. | A heartbreaking pair of losses kept the Warner Pacific University Softball team (2-16, 1-10) out of the win column this afternoon, as the Carroll College Saints (5-15, 3-8) defeated the Knights 0-6 and 7-8, the second of which went to extra innings.
 
Game 1
 
The home team Saints kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, plating three runs in their frame, only one of which was an earned run against Knights' sophomore starting pitcher Abby Carlson (2-7). After a double steal allowed the first run to score, a 2-RBI single from Saints' third baseman Alyssa Lybert plated the next two Carroll runs to give the Saints a 3-0 lead after 1.0 innings of gameplay.
 
The Knights and Saints both threatened to score over the next 4.0 innings, but Carroll would be the team to eventually build upon their lead, doubling the Warner Pacific deficit to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Two earned runs crossed the plate via a home run from Saints' rightfielder Amber Brewer with no outs, and the sixth run scored unearned via a passed ball and error from the Knights.
 
The following inning, WPU threatened to put some runs on the board with one out in the top of the sixth, as Knights' third baseman Payton Hergert reached first on an error, then advanced to third on a double from shortstop Carrigan Foster. Unfortunately, Warner Pacific would advance no further, as Saints' starting pitcher Abby Hanley (4-7) induced back-to-back outs to get Carroll out of the inning unscathed.
 
A one-two-three top of the seventh inning closed out game one of today's doubleheader, with the Knights recording four hits in total offensively. Foster had half of those for Warner Pacific, recording a double and a single in three at-bats.
 
Defensively, Carlson was tagged for six runs on eight hits, only three of which were earned. Relief pitcher Sammie Brauckmiller had an inning of work in the sixth, allowing one hit in the frame.
 
Hanley recorded her fourth win of the season today, which is now the forth win as a team for Carroll as well. She limited the Knights to just four hits with no runs in 7.0 innings of work, striking out eight batters in the process.
 
Lybert and Hanley each put together a two-hit afternoon in game one, with Lybert adding an RBI and a run scored, and Hanley producing two runs to help her settle into a "pitching with a lead" mentality.
 
Game 2
 
The second game of today's doubleheader took quite some time to kick start some offense for these two squads, as the starting pitchers for both the Knights and Saints kept the offenses silent for two and half innings, before the Saints broke through in the bottom of the third inning for three runs, all three of which were unearned on the board.
 
The Saints added another run in the bottom of the third, followed by three more in the bottom of the fourth. Things were certainly not looking good for Warner Pacific once again, but they had persisted nonetheless into an entertaining late game scenario.
 
After securing their first run on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning, Warner Pacific needed to find a rally to stay in this contest, with one out in the top of the seventh inning, needing six runs to force extra innings.
 
After three straight singles following the first out, the Knights had the bases loaded for Hergert, who was looking for her third hit of the game. When the opportunity presented itself, Hergert smashed a pitch into deep right centerfield, scoring two runs in the process to cut the Saints' lead to just four runs at 7-3.
 
Following a walk from Knights' shortstop/relief pitcher Carrigan Foster (0-4), junior first baseman Emma Foster walked to the plate in another bases loaded situation, needing four runs to knot this game up. She jumped on a pitch right out of the gate, and sent it sailing over the left field fence to reset this game in the final inning of regulation with the Knights' first grand slam of the season.
 
However, E. Foster's heroics would become a moot point in extra innings, as a double with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and a wild pitch put a runner at third base for the Saints. Following a dropped third strike by the freshman catcher Jessie Ramirez, the throw down to first base to get the second out was secured, but the baserunner collided with E. Foster's mitt, causing the ball to go flying into the outfield, and allowing the game-winning run to cross the plate.
 
The umpires and coaches convened for quite some time just in front of the pitcher's mound, but Warner Pacific Head Coach Alex Flores would be the one walking away discontent with the outcome, as neither umpire determined there to be runner interference on the play, giving the Saints the delayed walk-off victory on yet another unearned run.
 
C. Foster received the loss on the unearned walk-off, giving up just the one run on two hits in 3.2 innings pitched, striking out two Saints. Sophomore starting pitcher Sammie Brauckmiller allowed seven runs in her 4.0 innings of work on eight hits, and took over at shortstop for the remainder of the game when C. Foster relieved her.
 
E. Foster's only hit of the game came on the game-tying grand slam in the top of the seventh inning, collecting four RBIs on the one at-bat to lead the team. Hergert rebounded from a hitless game one to swing 3-for-5 at the plate in game two, scoring two runs and earning two RBIs as well.
 
Hanley (5-7) picked up another win today despite allowing a six-run seventh inning to send the game to extra innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 8.0 innings pitched. She struck out four batters and walked two in the game two win.
 
Saints' first baseman Kaitlynn Ayers was the most consistent at the plate for Carroll in the second contest this afternoon, as she earned three hits in four at-bats, scoring two runs in the process.
 
The Knights and Saints take the field once again tomorrow morning for games three and four of the series, with the first game being the last of the conference contests. Game one on Saturday will begin at 9am PDT, with game two following shortly after at 11am PDT.