Softball | 3/28/2009 6:54:18 PM

Box Score 1 [Box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Jessica Hallmark and Krysta Pennington hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first and Stephanie Albrecht pitched a complete game four-hitter to lift Western Oregon to an 8-0 victory over Northwest Nazarene Saturday, Mar. 28.

The win moved the Wolves to 13-8 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and on the season as the Crusaders fell to 6-22 on the season and 4-16 in conference.

With runners on first and second in WOU's half of the first inning, Hallmark blasted a home run to left field then Pennington took a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall to extend the lead to 4-0, and the Wolves would never look back.

Albrecht pitched five innings allowing only four NNU base runners while striking out four to improve to 4-3 on the season. She gave up just four singles and never allowed more than one in an inning. This was her second shutout of the season.

The Wolves would add single runs in the third and fourth inning before scoring two in the fifth to activate the eight-run mercy rule. Tyler Sutherland would score Western Oregon's final run on a bases loaded walk to Hallmark.

Hallmark led WOU with four RBI as she went 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks and two runs scored. Bailey Rueck was 3-for-3 in the game with an RBI and a double.

For the game Western Oregon put 19 runners on base compared to four for Northwest Nazarene and eight of the nine WOU starters had a base hit while seven of the nine scored a run.

The second game of the doubleheader was cancelled due to rain.

The Western Oregon softball team will now travel to Turlock, Calif., for the Best of the West Tournament Apr. 3-5. The Wolves are guaranteed to play five games in the tournament. They will open with Hawaii-Hilo Friday, Apr. 3 at 8:15 a.m., and then face Cal State Dominguez Hills the same day at 11:15 a.m.