Softball | 4/5/2009 2:48:58 PM

Box Score [Box score]

TURLOCK, Calif. - Jessica Wood had 14 strike outs and Tyler Sutherland was 3-for-3 and accounted for all four of Western Oregon's runs as the Wolves defeated Cal State Stanislaus 4-3 in the first round of play in the gold bracket at the Mizuno Tournament of Champions Sunday, Apr. 5.

Wood pitched a complete game for the third straight day as she went seven innings while gave up five hits and three runs (two earned) to go along with three walks and a season-best 14 strikeouts.

The Wolves struck first as they put up a run in the first and two more in the second. After Sutherland singled and stole second in the Wolves' half of the first Hallmark singled to drive her in. In the second, Kendra George reached on an error to start the inning then Sutherland homered with two-out to extend WOU's lead to 3-0.

Sutherland would knock in one more in the fourth as she singled to drive in George for a second time, which proved to be the deciding run in the game.

CSU Stanislaus would threaten each of the last three innings by Wood battled through to hold the lead and send Western Oregon to the second round. In the fifth inning, the Warriors' leadoff batter tripled but Wood got the following batter to pop out to Tierra-Lyn Cuba at first and then struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.

In the sixth the Wolves' bent but they did not break as three Warrior runners scored three runs and had the tying run at third base with one out before Wood induced a grounder to third and then got Nikky Rissetto swinging to end the inning.

In the seventh, Cal State Stanislaus' leadoff batter reached on a hit by pitch before Wood got the next three hitters in order.

Sutherland ended the game going 3-for-3 with two runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base while not leaving a runner on base for the game.

Cal State Stanislaus entered the game with a 5-0 record at the Mizuno Tournament of Champions and a 24-11 record overall. It had won eight of its last nine games.

The Western Oregon softball team will play the winner of Cal State Monterey Bay and Hawaii Pacific in the semifinals.