The Thunderbirds team huddle up on the sidelines
Michael Safford/Oregon Tech
1
British Columbia BRITISH 14-13
3
Winner Simpson (CA) SIMPSON 10-20
British Columbia BRITISH
14-13
1
Final
3
Simpson (CA) SIMPSON
10-20
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
British Columbia BRITISH 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 1
Simpson (CA) SIMPSON 1 1 0 1 0 0 X 3 9 0

W: Jacquelyn Lujan (4-5) L: Murray, Carleen (9-7)

1
Winner British Columbia BRITISH 15-13
0
Simpson (CA) SIMPSON 10-21
Winner
British Columbia BRITISH
15-13
1
Final
0
Simpson (CA) SIMPSON
10-21
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
British Columbia BRITISH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 1
Simpson (CA) SIMPSON 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1

W: Murray, Carleen (10-7) L: Grace Chojnacki (4-4)

Game Recap: Softball | | Jake McGrail (UBC Communications)

Thunderbirds split first doubleheader against CCC newcomers Simpson

REDDING, Calif. – Heading all the way down to California for their first pair of games against the Simpson Red Hawks (9-21, 4-7), the Thunderbirds (15-13, 6-5) suffered a 3-1 defeat in the series opener but responded with a 1-0 victory in the second game of the day thanks in large part to a phenomenal performance on the mound from Carleen Murray.
 
The shutout win snapped what had been a four-game losing streak in conference play, and means that the series victory will be up for grabs on Saturday afternoon in the second doubleheader of the weekend.
 
 
GAME ONE
 
The Red Hawks never trailed in the first game, scoring three runs in three separate innings before the Thunderbirds got on the board late. After Nayzeth Gonzalez opened the scoring following a UBC fielding error in the first, Madison Chapman then doubled the lead in the second with an RBI single.
 
Down 3-0 midway through the game, the T-Birds were unable to gain back too much ground. While they were able to get runners in scoring position in three of the first six innings, they were unable to cash in before finally getting on the board in the seventh, when Brielle Donoghue smacked a double to left-centre that brought home Mattea Burrill.
 
First-year pitcher Mila Anderson had a strong performance on the mound in relief, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings while giving up only two hits. She's now allowed just two earned runs in 8.1 innings pitched in conference play.
 
Carleen Murray winds up for a pitch
 
GAME TWO
 
Despite throwing 68 pitches in 3.2 innings to begin the first game, Murray came back out as the starter in the second and threw another 96 pitches in a fantastic outing. The fourth-year star allowed just three baserunners for the game, with the defence behind her turning two double plays, making it so she only needed to face 22 batters for the complete game.
 
The Thunderbirds scored the lone run in the opening inning, when with two outs Jessica Heutink and Jillian Matsubara laced back-to-back singles over the head of the Red Hawks' shortstop. That put Heutink on second, and she was able to round the bases and slide into home when Burrill hit a single of her own for her 10th RBI of the year.
 
That turned out to be all the run support that was needed, with Murray's pitching and strong defensive play behind her carrying the team to the win. They'll look to string some positive results together with another two games against Simpson tomorrow, as they take on the Red Hawks with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. (PT).
 
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