Softball | 3/27/2009 6:13:03 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Tyler Sutherland went 6-for-8 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI over two games as the Western Oregon University softball team swept a doubleheader from Northwest Nazarene, 10-2 and 6-2, Friday Mar. 27.

The wins move the Wolves to 12-8 on the season and to within three games in the standings of Great Northwest Athletic Conference leader Montana State Billings. The losses dropped the Crusaders record to 6-21 on the year and 4-15 in conference.

Game 1
Western Oregon jumped out to a 7-0 lead after one inning and Jessie Lessard went the distance to lift WOU to the 10-2 victory.

The first five batters of the game reached base for the Wolves as they would go on to hit around in the bottom of the first inning. The inning began with a single by Tyler Sutherland and a walk to Tierra-Lyn Cuba, and then Jessica Hallmark doubled to right field to score both. WOU would add two more on an RBI single by Bailey Rueck and a bases loaded walk to Kendra George before Sutherland would deliver the big blow of the inning with a three-run bases clearing double to put Western Oregon in front 7-0.

Lessard (4-3) would take over after that, as she went six innings allowing two runs and four hits while striking out five for her fourth win of the season.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Sutherland would once again fuel the Wolves' offense as she doubled to right to collect her fourth RBI of the game. She then scored from second on an RBI single by Cuba for her second run of the game to WOU up 9-2.

Western Oregon would finish the game off in the bottom of the sixth as Rueck drove in Chelsea Grigsby from third base to trigger the eight-run mercy rule.

The Wolves combined for 15 hits in the game as eight of the nine starters collected a hit. In addition to Sutherland's 4-for-4 performance WOU also received multi-hit performances from Rueck (3-4), Cuba (2-3) and Krysta Pennington (2-4). Rueck and Hallmark both had two RBI in the game as George and Cuba each added one.

Game 2
Tyler Sutherland hit home runs in her first two at-bats and Jessica Wood pitched a complete game to lead WOU to a 6-2 victory in game two.

Sutherland led off the Wolves' half of the first inning with a home run down the left field line to put WOU in front 1-0. She then broke a 1-1 tie and put WOU ahead for good in the third inning with a two-run home run to straight away center field for her third homer of the season.

That would be all Wood (5-2) needed as she went the seven innings giving up two runs and six hits while striking out two to lead the Wolves to consecutive victories. She induced 11 groundball outs in the game and allowed just six NNU hitters to reach base, two of which were cut down on the base paths.

Jessica Hallmark would add a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth as she hit her GNAC-leading sixth home run of the season. The homer was the 14th of Hallmark's career, breaking the Western Oregon school-record previously held by Trina Dorn.

For the game, Western Oregon scored six runs while leaving just four runners on base and they did not commit an error in the field. Sutherland, Hallmark and Rocky Knuth each had two hits for the Wolves as Rueck, Sutherland and Hallmark each posted two RBI.

"Our pitchers showed focus while our hitters hit the ball well and everyone played good defense today," Western Oregon head coach Pam Knox explained.

"We weren't playing the type of ball we are capable of and we talked about needing to make a turn," continued Knox. "We have yet to play our best softball."

Next game
Western Oregon will face NNU in another doubleheader Saturday, Mar. 28 at noon to conclude the four-game series and the two team's season series.