FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11^th, 2024
 
Forest Grove, Ore.| The Knights played their first two games of the regular season today in the form of a non-conference double header matchup against Pacific University. The Knights lost both games by scores of 9-5 and 12-7 respectively.
 
Game One
The Knights started their season with a bang as Jordan Rosario hit a bloop single to right field to start the game. After a couple strikeouts, true freshman Maddie Gamble started her college career off in dream fashion crushing a satisfying double into the gap between the center and left fielder rolling all the way to the fence scoring Jordan Rosario from first. Things really got going for the Knights in the third inning when Mailli Bode started her year off working out a walk. After an error by the Boxers catcher, Bode advanced to second putting her in scoring position. Lauren Amesquita then got hit by a pitch really making it a true threat of Knights on the base paths. Kili Makanani then singled to right scoring Mailli Bode to make the score 2-0. After a walk by Gamble, the bases were juiced for starting pitcher, Briana Munoz who with ice water in her veins laced a triple to centerfield clearing the bases and making the score 5-0 in favor of the Knights.
 
Unfortunately, in the bottom of the third inning, the Boxers impressively fought back scoring three of their own cutting into the Knights lead. The Boxers in the fourth inning continued to dominate the zone drawing walks and getting base hits resulting in four more runs giving them a lead that they would hold on to the rest of the game. Pacific scored two more runs in the sixth inning to make the game 9-5 which was the final result.
 
Game Two
The Knights in game two had a rough first inning on defense giving up 5 runs all earned off of starting pitcher, Kili Makanani who was pitching in her first game as a Knight. Makanani was pulled after the first inning and Knights stalwart, Abby Carlson came on in relief. The Boxers continued their momentum throughout the game putting up 7 more runs all earned off of Carlson.
 
The Knights were able to get three runs on the board in the third inning when once again, Briana Munoz knocked a bases clearing triple continuing her excellent debut in a Knights uniform.
 
The Knights broke out their bats in a large way in the fifth inning when after a couple walks, Munoz hit a single to center loading the bases up again. Marin Bliss reached on a fielders choice scoring Makanani from third. Another true freshman in her first college softball game, Rachel Behn, came up huge singling to left field scoring Munoz from second. The freshman parade continued when Kylie Lester got her first hit as a Knight in the form of a triple plating both Behn and Bliss capping off a four-run inning.
 
Even though both games today ended in losses for the Knights, the fight that this team seems to have so far this year is magnificent and a lot of the contributions today offensively were done by true freshman or transfers that are new to Warner Pacific. Definitely a lot to be excited about when it comes to Knights softball this season.
 
Next Up
The Knights will have a couple weeks to practice before heading out to Salem, Oregon to take on Willamette University on February 24^th at 12pm.