Softball | 4/24/2009 6:07:32 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon and Central Washington softball teams split a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday (Apr. 24), as the Wolves dropped game one 4-3 but bounced back to take game two 3-1.

With the split WOU moves to 21-21 on the season and 18-13 in the GNAC while CWU goes to 28-17 and 24-8.

This doubleheader was a makeup from a postponed game in Ellensburg, Wash., on Mar. 15, and therefore Central Washington was the home team.

Game 1
Liz Wallace and Holly Rossman both hit late inning home runs as Central Washington came from behind to defeat Western Oregon 4-3 in game one.

First Rossman hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at three, then with two outs in the bottom of the sixth Wallace homered over the center field wall to give Central Washington the eventual game-winning run.

Both starting pitchers went the distance as Linse Vlahovich picked up the win as she went seven innings giving up nine hit and three runs while striking out eight and walking none. The loss went to Jessica Wood who pitched six innings allowing six hits and four runs while walking three and striking out nine.

The Wolves took the lead in the top of the first inning when Amanda Fleer singled through the left side of the infield with two outs to score Tierra-Lyn Cuba and Jessica Hallmark and give WOU the 2-0 lead. Western Oregon would add one more in the top of the second on an RBI single by Tyler Sutherland but that is all they would get.

Cuba and Fleer both collected two hits to lead the Wolves.

Game 2
Bailey Rueck hit a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to lift Western Oregon to a 3-1 victory in game two.

Rocky Knuth walked and Tyler Sutherland singled to start the fifth before the next two batters flied out, bring Rueck to the plate with runners at second and third with two outs in a key RBI situation. Rueck was able to square up Katriina Reime's pitch and drive it over the left field wall to give the Wolves the 3-1 lead. The home run was the first of Rueck's career and helped the Wolves snap a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats.

That shot would be all Western Oregon starter Jessie Lessard (7-5) would need as she pitched all seven innings giving up six hits and one run while walking four and striking out five.

Rueck's home run was one of just seven hits the Wolves had on the day, all of which came from their top four hitters in the order. Sutherland, Cuba and Fleer all had two hits apiece while Rueck had the three runs batted in.

Next Game
These teams will continue their six-game series with another doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 25, starting at noon.