Softball | 4/10/2010 5:51:39 PM

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

BILLINGS, Mont. - Western Oregon and Montana State Billings split the opening doubleheader of their series. The Yellowjackets won the opener 3-2 in eight innings before the Wolves bounced back to take game two 7-5.

The split kept WOU (20-14, 14-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) one game back of Central Washington in the league standings. CWU split its doubleheader with Saint Martin's earlier in the day. MSU Billings moved to 16-17 on the season and 12-10 in the GNAC with the split.

Game 1
Becca Franks tripled in the tying run and then scored game-winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth to lift Montana State Billings to a 3-2 win in the series' opener.

The Wolves had grabbed a one-run lead in the extra frame on a RBI-single by Stephanie Albrecht but their only lead of the game was short lived.

Jessica Wood (3-5) took the loss despite carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning. She went the first 7.1 innings, allowing two hits and three runs (two earned) while walking four and striking out five.

However, she was outdueled by Lindsey Trenary (10-5) who pitched a complete game while giving up 12 hits and three earned runs. She did not walk a batter and struck out three.

Andrea Bailey went 4-for-4 for WOU, while Ellen Bogardus and Jessica Hallmark each collected two hits.

Western outhit MSU Billings 12-2 in the game.

Game 2
Amanda Fleer knocked in four runs as she doubled in two in the first and homered to drive in two more in the third, and WOU went on to win game two 7-5.

Kendra George also notched a two-run homer. She went deep in the top of the sixth inning to extend the Wolves' lead to 7-4. She finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored. Bailey Rueck was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Ellen Bogardus also recorded a multi-hit game.

After Fleer's two-run double in the first inning, Western Oregon never lost the lead.

Brittany Reeves (5-2) picked up the win in relief by pitching the final 2.2 innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out three.

Whitney Whittemore went 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored for MSU Billings.

Next games
These teams will come back and play another doubleheader to wrap up their four-game series tomorrow (Apr. 11), starting at 11:00 a.m. (MST).