Eugene, Ore. | In the final road game trip before the Knights return home for senior weekend, the Warner Pacific University Softball team (5-29, 3-20) fell to the Bushnell University Beacons (10-26, 7-14) in the first two games of their weekend doubleheaders by duplicate scores of 0-8.
 
Game 1
 
With the first bit of sun to peak through all week long in the Willamette Valley overhead, the Knights and Beacons were able to start game one of their four-game conference series with no fear stopping due to weather, especially with Bushnell's all turf field on-site.
 
The Knights quickly put ducks on the pond in the top of the first inning, with senior centerfielder Paityn Willoughby reaching base via an error with one out. That was quickly erased however, as the Beacons induced back-to-back groundball outs to send themselves to their offensive half of the frame.
 
Bushnell swiftly put themselves into a winning scenario, as the leadoff hitter and first baseman Krystal Akagi doubled to left center fielder, and scored two batters later on a throwing error that plated her unearned. Two more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the first inning for Bushnell, who now led 3-0.
 
Knights' junior third baseman Emma Foster led off the top of the second inning with a rocket to left field, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly the next pitch by sophomore catcher Morgan Docker. Third base is the furthest E. Foster would go, as Bushnell once again secured the next two outs to end the inning unscathed.
 
The next two half frames resulted in only one hit across both teams, until the Beacons tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to three different singles and a sacrifice fly, giving Bushnell the 5-0 lead after three innings.
 
Nothing going for the Knights through the top of the fourth and fifth innings resulted in Bushnell's opportunity to walk-off the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs to force the 8-0 win in run-ruling fashion.
 
Knights' sophomore starting pitcher Abby Carlson (3-15) took the blunt end for WPU in game one, allowing eight runs off 12 hits, only three of which crossed the plate as earned. She did managed four strikeouts and zero batters walked in her 5.0 innings of work.
 
E. Foster would collect the only two hits of the contest for Warner Pacific, swinging 2-for-2 for a single and a double.
 
Bushnell starting pitcher Sam Silver (5-10) picked up the shortened game win after throwing 5.0 innings of zero run ball, allowing two hits and walking none while striking out a pair of WPU batters.
 
The Beacons had multiple players swing for two hits in the initial game of the four-game set, led by Akagi and Silver who each scored a run. Silver collected two RBIs in the process, which tied with Beacons' catcher Faith Wayman for the game-high.
 
Game 2
 
The Beacons kicked off game two in the same fashion as game one, with Warner Pacific leaving runners on the bases, and then playing small ball offensively to collect three runs, and therefore another 3-0 lead after 1.0 inning of play.
 
Warner Pacific continued to reach base each inning, whether that be via hit, error, or walk, but the Knights were still unable to plate runs throughout the day.
 
Bushnell, however, added another four runs between the bottom of the second and third innings, stretching their lead yet again to 7-0 over the Warner Pac.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Beacons found that elusive final run to walk-off another 8-0 win over Warner Pacific, and send everyone home early Friday evening.
 
Warner Pacific sophomore starting pitcher Sammie Brauckmiller (1-10) completed 5.2 innings of work, allowing eight runs on eight hits, while striking out one Beacon and walking another.
 
Willoughby found the consistent bat in game two for WPU, swinging for two hits in three at-bats, making her responsible for a third of Warner Pacific's total hits. E. Foster singled again for her third hit of the day, while junior leftfielder Ashley Hawkins reached base via a hit in her only at-bat of the game.
 
Beacons' starting pitcher Aliyah Kelly (4-12) threw a six-hit shutout of the Knights, striking out none but also walking no one.
 
Leftfielder Madison Steelman crushed the ball in a 3-for-4 performance in game two for Bushnell, collecting an RBI and a run scored along the way. Rightfielder Anabel Mendez earned two RBIs and a run scored on one hit in three at-bats.
 
The Knights and Beacons will reconvene at Rich Schwab Field tomorrow morning for the second half of their series, with first pitch scheduled for 11am PDT, and game two following shortly after at 1pm.