Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Bellingham, WA - The Simon Fraser University Clan softball team started conference play with a pair of losses to the Western Washington Vikings on Friday, losing the opener 13-3 before dropping the back end 3-0 in a closely contested game.
The Clan went into the games shorthanded due to injury and illness, which included two pitchers.
"We knew we were in tough today," said Head Coach
Mike Renney. "We started out by doing what has put us behind the eight ball in a number of our games, shooting ourselves in both feet by having to get more than three out in an inning due to errors or just plain poor choices. By my count, we missed a half dozen out opportunities in the first before we got the third out."
Jessica Fortier (Three Hills, AB) started game one for the Clan, going the distance though it was a tough afternoon for the Clan starter as WWU scored 13 runs, 10 earned on 13 hits.
Western Washington came out swinging, scoring 11 runs in the first inning before the Clan got on the board with three in the fourth.
"I give Fortier credit for sticking it out in a tough situation and having one of her more solid outings the rest of the way. Ironically, Western outscored us in only one inning though it was a big inning," continued Renney.
WWU added two in their half of the forth before shutting down the Clan in the fifth for the 13-3 final.
Danielle Raison (Langley, BC) and
Kaitlyn Cameron (Langley, BC) each had two hit games and each scored a run while
Nicole Ratel (Langley, BC) scored, going one for two in the game.
The Vikings scored their 11 run first inning on nine hits, an error and a walk.
In the fourth, Raison opened the inning with a single before advancing to third on a double by Cameron.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Ratel singled through the right side scoring Raison and Cameron.
Ratel would come around to score on a
Stephanie Caron (Delta, BC) single but that was as close as the Clan would get in their conference opener.
In the second game, WWU led 1-0 until the fifth inning before adding single runs in the fifth and the sixth, holding the Clan off the board to sneak past SFU for the victory.
Jessica Goulet (Cambridge, ON) pitched six solid innings for the Clan, allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits while walking two and striking out one.
Cameron, Ratel,
Alex Baylak (Regina, SK) and
Robyn Mogavero (Whitby, ON) each recorded a hit for the Clan in the game.
The Clan threatened in the third inning when Ratel reached third with one out but could not push a run across.
"In game two it was gut check time for the team as we had to bounce back from a lopsided first game. I was pleased the team didn't fold and we got a good pitching effort from Goulet. The offence was unfortunately not able to measure up. The reality is with a young team the number one need is time. Each battle will hopefully get us closer to where we want to be," finished Renney.
With the losses, the Clan start the 2014 Great Northwest Athletic Conference season at 0-2.
SFU will travel to Ellensburg, WA on Saturday to take on the Central Washington Wildcats in a double header.
