McMINNVILLE, Ore. – One pitch was the difference in Friday's super regional opener as the No. 11th-ranked Bethel University softball team saw its 26-game winning streak snapped by No. 4 Linfield, 1-0.
The host Wildcats (45-4) got a solo homer over the left field fence on the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth from three hitter Katie Phillips for the game's only run.
For the game,
Kayla Simacek (34-4) gave up three hits while striking out sixth and walking none. Linfield's Tayah Kelley (32-1) struck out seven, walked three and gave up one hit.
Bethel (36-4) had its first chance in the third with
Cortney Hokanson drawing a leadoff walk. The Royals couldn't get the sacrifice bunt down popping it up for the first out before a flyout to center was the second.
Pinch runner
Maddi O'Connor stole second before moving to third as the throw went into center. The Royals stranded that runner as
Lexi DeBace went down looking.
In the fourth,
Kayla Hokanson and
Izzy Wilhelm drew walks but were both stranded. Wilhelm had the lone BU hit on a single to left in the second.
The Royals' season is on the line Saturday needing to take two games from the Wildcats to advance to the finals next week in Marshal, Texas. First pitch is 3 p.m. CDT (1 p.m. PDT) with the if necessary game to follow should BU win the first game of the day.
