Tacoma, Wash. – After the first day of the 2026 Northwest Conference Softball Championship Tournament, three teams remain in contention for the title: Pacific Lutheran, Linfield, and Lewis & Clark. Tournament play will continue on Saturday, May 2 at 12 p.m. with Game 5 featuring host Pacific Lutheran and Lewis & Clark in a loser-eliminated game.
No. 1 seed Pacific Lutheran opened the NWC Tournament with a 7-0 win over No. 4 seed George Fox, sending the Bruins into the elimination bracket. PLU scored first in the bottom of the opening inning on a wild pitch after a leadoff single and double, while George Fox briefly limited the damage with a double play to end the frame. The Lutes steadily extended the lead from there, scoring in multiple innings behind a balanced offensive attack that included key extra-base hits from Kamalani Doctor and Lex Ahlo-Garcia. George Fox managed only scattered baserunners and was held to three hits on the day. PLU ace Paige Wilson earned the complete-game shutout, striking out 13 while allowing just one walk.
A five-run third inning propelled No. 2 seed Linfield past No. 3 seed Lewis & Clark in Game 2 of the NWC Tournament, sending the River Otters into the elimination bracket. Lewis & Clark struck first in the second inning when Emily Patton delivered a two-run double to plate Lacey Marglin and McKenna Zehnder. Linfield responded in the third, tying the game on a two-run double from Cydney Hess before McKenna Parmelee added a two-run double, and a wild pitch accounted for the final run of the frame. Wildcats ace Tyler McNeley earned her 20th win, allowing five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts over seven innings. Lewis & Clark starter Maggie O’Leary took the loss, while Harper Campanella led the River Otters offensively with multiple hits.
No. 3 seed Lewis & Clark eliminated No. 4 seed George Fox from the NWC Tournament in Game 3 with a 5-0 win behind strong pitching from Maggie O’Leary and timely power hitting. The teams opened with a scoreless first inning before Lewis & Clark struck in the second on an RBI double from Cami Restagno following a Campanella double. George Fox threatened in both the third and fourth innings but was unable to capitalize against O’Leary. McKenna Zehnder extended the lead with a solo home run in the fifth before Harper Campanella added a three-run homer in the sixth. O’Leary earned the complete-game shutout as George Fox was held scoreless and saw its season end after a final-inning double play.
Game 4 ended with Linfield defeating Pacific Lutheran 4-2 in a winner’s bracket matchup, handing PLU its first loss of the tournament and sending the Lutes into an elimination game against Lewis & Clark. The Wildcats opened the scoring in the third inning on a throwing error, but Kamalani Doctor tied the game in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly to score Syan Yamamoto. PLU took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on Ashlyn Sera’s RBI single to right-center, but Linfield moved back in front in the sixth with a bases-loaded infield single and a wild pitch to go up 3-2. Linfield added an insurance run in the seventh to extend the margin. The Lutes threatened in the final frame with consecutive singles to bring the tying run aboard, but a lineout ended the rally. Linfield’s Tyler McNeley earned the win, while Paige Wilson took the loss after a complete-game effort for PLU.
Saturday, May 2 will feature Pacific Lutheran and Lewis & Clark at 12 p.m. in an elimination game, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Sunday, May 3 at 11 a.m. against the Linfield Wildcats. An if-necessary game will be played at 1:30 p.m.