Softball | 3/19/2010 6:01:11 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Kelsey White and Jessie Lessard both delivered complete game shutouts, and the Wolves' came up with two timely hits to take both games of a doubleheader from Northwest Nazarene, Friday (Mar. 19). Western Oregon University won game one 2-0 and took game two 1-0.

The wins moved WOU to within two games of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference leader Central Washington with a 9-5 record in conference and an 11-8 mark overall.

Game 1
Kelsey White pitched a five-hitter for her first career shutout while striking out four, to lead the Wolves over the Crusaders 2-0 in game one of the series.

Ellen Bogardus drove in both of WOU's runs in the bottom of the fifth with a single to right field. Jessica Hallmark, who scored the first run of the game, accounted for three of the Wolves' seven hits in the contest and also added a stolen base. Tierra-Lyn Cuba went 2-for-4 out of the second spot in the lineup.

White earned a win in her third consecutive appearance to improve to 5-0 on the season. She did not allow a Crusaders' runner past second base, en route to lowering her GNAC-leading ERA to 1.00.

Chelsey Anderson took the loss after giving up two runs and four walks in six innings. She did strike out three WOU batters and went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Game 2
Jessie Lessard (3-3) struck out nine and did not walk a batter to record the second shutout of the afternoon for the Wolves. She gave up six hits but faced just five hitters over the minimum. Lessard also struck out a batter in all but one inning, including striking out the side in the third.

Western Oregon's offense made the most of its three hits, as it put two of them together in the bottom of the fifth for the game's only run. Amanda Fleer singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. After a strikeout Jessie Lessard bunted Fleer to third, bringing Alyssa DesBiens to the plate. DesBiens then lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-center field gap for a double, which plated Fleer from third.

Nicole Grummons (2-6) pitched a very strong game in the loss. She allowed three hits while striking out four and surrendered just the one run. Emily Renfrow went 2-for-3 and was the only Crusader to record a multi-hit game.

Next game
These teams will complete their four-game series Saturday (Mar. 20), with a doubleheader beginning at noon.