Lewis & Clark College announces Softball Announces 2023 Schedule
PORTLAND, Ore.—After a strong finish to the 2022 season, Lewis & Clark College softball is aiming to make the Northwest Conference Tournament for the second time in three seasons this spring. Thirteenth-year head coach Shawna Cyrus will look to lead one of the largest (25) and youngest (12 freshman) rosters in program history to another successful spring when the Pioneers open their 2023 season this weekend.
Lewis & Clark will kick off their season this Saturday, February 4, when the Pioneers host Clark College for a Noon and 2:30 p.m. exhibition doubleheader at the Huston Sports Complex.
A week later, the Pios will host Bushnell University at Noon and 2 p.m. in their first regular season games of the season. Two years ago, senior pitcher Alyssa Abe limited the Beacons to just one hit in an 8-0, five-inning, mercy-rule victory in Portland.
Lewis & Clark will play their first games against Division III competition the following weekend, when the Pioneers plays six games in three days in California. Softball will take on three teams from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from February 17-19. The Pios will play Whittier College on Friday, California Lutheran University on Saturday and then close out the weekend with a doubleheader at Occidental College on Sunday.
Softball will open their conference slate the following weekend, when they host Pacific University in a four-game set on February 25 and 26. The series will be a strong early test, after the Boxers took three of four from Lewis & Clark last year and the two teams were picked 5th (L&C) and sixth (Pacific) in the 2023 NWC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Pioneers will head to McMinnville to take on nationally-ranked and preseason favorite Linfield University for four games to open the month of March.
After two more conference weekends (University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University), softball will close out non-conference play on March 29 when they play Portland rival Warner Pacific University for a doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m.
The Pioneers will close out the season with three more conference sets. Lewis & Clark will host George Fox University on April 1 and 2 before heading to Whitworth University for a pivotal four-game set. The two teams split in Portland last season and Whitworth (28 points) edged the Pioneers (26 points) by just two points to finish in fourth place in the NWC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Lewis & Clark will finish the season with four games against Willamette University. After two games in Salem on April 15, the Pios will host the Bearcats on April 16 for Senior Day and their final two games of the regular-season. Softball will honor their four seniors prior to the doubleheader on April 16. Last season, the Pioneers earned their only NWC series win of the season against Willamette with a 3-1 series victory.
This year's Pioneers team returns four of their six All-Conference honorees from last year's team that finished 11-17 in NWC play.
Abe will look to lead a rotation that returns all three pitchers from a year ago and added three freshmen pitchers. Last season, Abe became the first Pioneers pitcher to win 12 or more games since 2001 and struck out a career-high 79 batters in 125.0 innings.
In the infield, Lewis & Clark returns All-Conference juniors Mari Alvarez and Sam Gildersleeve. The duo combined for 12 home runs and 41 runs batted in last spring.
Junior Alyssa Hoeke is the lone returning starter in the outfield. Hoeke, who earned her first career All-Conference accolades last fall, finished first amongst returning players last year with her .345 batting average.
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