BURNABY, BC – Senior
Nicole Ratel hit a two-run homerun in the fourth inning to break open a close game, sending Simon Fraser University on to a 7-1 win over Western Washington and a split in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Beedie Field on Sunday.
The win snapped a 12 game losing streak to the rival Vikings, including a 7-3 loss in the opener.
With the split, the Clan won their first GNAC game of the year, moving to 1-3 in conference play and 10-10 on the season. WWU moved to 8-6 and 3-1 in GNAC play.
"We had a lack-luster performance in the first game but I liked how we responded in the second game, producing hits with runners on and creating our own breaks," said Clan head coach
Mike Renney. "We got some clutch at-bats."
"We stayed focused in the second game and had a good response after an error or adversity," he added.
SFU 7 WWU 1 Alia Stachoski (Port Coquitlam, BC) pitched a complete game in the 7-1 victory, allowing one earned run and six hits while striking out seven batters. She improved her record to 5-3 on the season.
WWU scored in the top of the first inning but Stachoski was able to limit the damage to one run by striking out Mackenzie Hughes with the bases loaded with a pitch on the outside corner.
"Alia got into trouble early but it was nice to see her pitch herself out of the jams and we made a number of defensive plays to help her out," said Renney.
SFU went ahead in the top of the second and never looked back when sophomore
Taylor Gillis (Langley, BC) pounded a pitch to the wall in left field with the bases loaded bringing in two runners and giving the Clan a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Renney entered pinch hitter
Robyn Mogavero (Whitby, ON) who dropped a bloop single on the infield with the bases loaded, giving the Clan a 3-1 lead after four innings.
The Clan added to their lead in the fifth inning when Ratel (Langley, BC) crushed her third homerun of the season over the left field fence to put the Clan up 5-1.
Rachel Proctor (Surrey, BC) then doubled to left centre which chased WWU starting pitcher Shearyna Labasan from the game. Freshman
Hailey Gearey (Montreal, QC) brought Proctor home with her first hit of the game.
The Clan added another run in the bottom of the fifth to make the final 7-1.
SFU outfielder
Kendra Goodman went high up over the left field fence to steal a certain homerun in the final inning to help hold the Vikings to one run.
SFU 3 WWU 7 In the opener, WWU came out strong scoring 3 runs on 4 hits in the top of the first inning. SFU responded in the bottom of the second when senior
Alex Baylak (Regina, SK) singled home a run. Then a double steal attempt saw
Marina DeAngelis (Delta, BC) steal home to bring the Clan within a run.
Jessica Goulet (Cambridge, ON) lasted only two-plus innings and left the game with the bases loaded in the top of the third.
Tori Belton (Langley, BC) came in and kept the game within reach by surrendering just a single run, the Clan trailing 4-2.
After a 45 minute rain delay in the top of the fourth, Belton gave up a three run homerun to WWU's Emily Benson, her fifth homerun of the year.
Down 7-3 in the bottom of the 7th, SFU was able to get base runners on first and second with only one out but Ratel hit into a game-ending double play.
The Clan collected 7 hits in the game with outfielder Proctor going 2 for 3 and scoring a run.
Goulet was charged with the loss moving her record to 0-3 on the season. Belton pitched 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits.
Kali Patterson went 2 for 4 scoring two runs and Makinlee Sellevold moved to 3-2 on the season pitching 5 solid innings scattering 5 hits and allowing 2 runs.
Follow the SFU Clan softball team for behind the scenes pictures and more all season long on their official Instagram account.
--@SFUClan--
