Softball | 3/14/2009 7:20:50 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 [Game 1: Box score]  [Game 2: Box score]

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - The Western Oregon University softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Central Washington, 5-2 and 4-3, Saturday (Mar. 14) at the CWU Softball field.

With the losses, the Wolves fall to 8-6 on the season and in the GNAC while the Wildcats move to 8-5 and 6-2 in the GNAC.

Game 1
Central Washington scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie as it went on to the 5-2 win in game one.

The go-ahead run scored on a Meghan Kopczynski walk then Taylor Trautmann singled up the middle to score two and cap off the three-run inning for the Wildcats.

CWU pitcher Linse Vlahovich held the Wolves to just three hits and two runs while striking out 10. After WOU scored two runs in the top of the first inning Vlahovich did not allow a WOU runner past second base.

Western Oregon used three pitchers in the game as Stephanie Albrecht started and went 2.2 innings before giving way to Jessica Wood who pitched the next 1.2 innings giving up four runs (three earned) to take the loss. Jessie Lessard took over for Wood in the fifth and finished out the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, Wood issued a walk to Michelle Torre to lead off the inning. After a strikeout, a single to left and another walk the bases were loaded for Jennifer Schwartz. WOU head coach Pam Knox then went to Lessard out of the bullpen. She induced the groundball to first from Schwartz and WOU first baseman Tierra-Lyn Cuba was able to cut the CWU runner down at the plate for the second out. Kopczynski then pitch hit and drew the walk on four straight balls for the go-ahead run. Trautmann then hit the first pitch she saw up the middle to add on two more insurance runs for the Wildcats.

The Wolves scored their only runs of the game in the first inning. Tyler Sutherland led off with a walk and was sacrificed down to second and advanced to third when Jessica Hallmark singled to the shortstop. Sutherland would score the WOU's first run of the game on a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher and Hallmark would come around to score the Wolves' second run on a single by Krysta Pennington.

Game 2
With the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Holly Rossman hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to lift Central Washington to a 4-3 victory over Western Oregon in game two.

This was the second home run of the game for Rossman who had previously tied the game at three apiece with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.

Western Oregon opened up a 3-0 after its half of the fourth inning as the first five batters of the inning would reach. After Krysta Pennington led off with a single and Kylee Hancock drew a walk, Amanda Fleer singled to right center field scoring Pennington and giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead. Bailey Rueck then singled to right field scoring Hancock. With runners at first and third, Kendra George laid down the sacrifice bunt to which CWU's first baseman made a throwing error allowing Fleer to score the Wolves' third run of the inning.

Linse Vlahovich would take over on the mound for the Wildcats in the fifth inning, in relief of Lindy Baxter, and would pitch four shutout innings to earn the win.

Jessie Lessard (2-2) pitched a complete game for the Wolves, her third of the season, giving up four runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four to take the loss.

The Western Oregon softball team will return home next week for a pair of series. First it will face the nation's No. 3 team, Humboldt State in a three game series, Mar. 17-18, before continuing its GNAC schedule against Western Washington, Mar. 21-22.