Softball | 3/6/2010 5:19:45 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason favorites Western Oregon and Montana State Billings split a doubleheader Saturday, Mar. 6. The Wolves (3-4, 2-4 GNAC) won game one 5-2 before the Yellowjackets (6-5, 4-2 GNAC) answered back with a 5-2 victory in game two.

Game 1
Tyler Sutherland went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Jessica Hallmark added a three run homer to lift Western Oregon over Montana State Billings in game one 5-2.

Sutherland got the Wolves on the board first with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the first. She then doubled home Kendra George in the third to put WOU up 2-0.

The game remained that way until the sixth when Jessica Hallmark homered with one out to drive in Tierra-Lyn Cuba and Bailey Rueck, who had both singled earlier in the inning.

The Wolves used five pitchers in the contest. Jessica Wood started the game and went two innings while striking out four batters. Kelsey White, Stephanie Albrecht and Jessie Lessard all gave the Wolves one scoreless inning, before giving way to Brittany Reeves for the save. Albrecht was credited with the win to improve to 2-0.

Wolves scored five runs on six hits and left just one runner on base.

Bobbie Lee went 2-for-3 for the Yellowjackets and collected two RBI on a double in the top of the seventh, but she was thrown out trying to advance to third on the throw home to end the game.

Game 2
Whitney Whittemore went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored to lead Montana State Billings to a 5-2 win in game two.

Whittemore had two of Yellowjackets' three home runs in the game, which account for all five of the team's runs. She hit a two-run shot in the first inning and Kaycee Hoffman added another in third to put the visiting team up 4-0.

The Wolves would answer back with two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a single by Andrea Bailey, but they would not get any closer. WOU mounted a rally in the fifth, as they put two runners on with one out but they could not get the hit to tie the game.

Tyler Sutherland reached base in three of her four plate appearances, as she collected two walks to go along with a double and a run scored.

Lindsey Trenary improved to 4-0 on the season as she went 4.1 innings allowing four hits and two runs. Kasie Conder, who took the loss in game one, came in with two outs in the fifth and pitched the rest of the game for her first save of the season.

Next games
These teams will continue their four-game series tomorrow (Mar. 6) with another doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.