Beacons Winless in First CCC Road Trip
March 24, 2008
OIT Box Score Game One
OIT Box Score Game Two
SOU Box Score Game One
SOU Box Score Game Two
Eugene, OR - Northwest Christian opened up Cascade Collegiate Conference play on the road this weekend, dropping all four games to Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon.
The weekend started on Friday with an 8-0 five-inning mercy-rule loss to Oregon Tech. Former NCC pitcher Jenni Bittle struck out five batters and allowed just three hits to the Beacons. Darci Byrne suffered the loss for NCC. Megan McLearn made her return to the mound in game two, but it was not a successful return as the Beacons fell 3-1. OIT got to McLearn for three runs in the fourth inning and the Beacons managed just one in the sixth. The run came in as Jayde Curry scored off an Amber Kraaz double with two outs.
On Saturday, the Beacons jumped out to an early lead against Southern Oregon in the top of the second inning when a Brittany Robles (pictured) double was followed by a Jen West single for a 1-0 lead. But the Raiders put up a pair of runs in both the second and third innings for a 4-1 lead that they would not relinquish. Northwest Christian got two more runs in the fifth when another Kraaz double scored a pair. McLearn (0-6) was again the victim, allowing all seven earned runs while striking out two.
The night cap became an old-fashioned pitching duel, with the Beacons dropping a 2-1 decision. Byrne (5-6) threw a one-hitter, but suffered the loss after two unearned runs scored in the bottom of the fifth inning on a pair of errors. The Beacons lone run came in the sixth inning when Cassie Bishop hit a lead-off home run.
Northwest Christian (6-13, 0-4 CCC) will be back in action next weekend as they hit the road for another pair of CCC double-headers. They will visit The College of Idaho on Friday and Eastern Oregon on Saturday. The trip will conclude with a non-conference double-header at Walla Walla University on Sunday, making it six games in three states in three days. By the end of the trip, the Beacons will have played their first 25 straight games away from home. The first home games are scheduled for April 2nd, a non-conference tilt with Pacific University.
