Softball | 5/1/2010 7:13:04 PM

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

NAMPA, Idaho - The Western Oregon softball team's bats stayed hot, as they put 24 runs on the board and completed a four-game sweep of Northwest Nazarene with 8-4 and 16-1 wins on Saturday, May. 1.

The Wolves' wins, coupled with a doubleheader sweep by Central Washington over Montana State Billings, keep WOU (32-17, 26-10 GNAC) one game back of first place. The losses were the 11th straight for the Crusaders, who fell to 9-38 on the season and 8-32 in the GNAC.

Game 1
The top three batters for the Wolves combined to score seven runs and Bailey Rueck had four RBI, as the Wolves took game one 8-4.

Tyler Sutherland scored three runs out of her lead off spot, while Tierra-Lyn Cuba and Rueck each added two. Rueck also connected on her ninth home run of the season in the third inning.

WOU found itself trailing 4-3 heading into the sixth inning, before Jessica Hallmark's RBI groundout to plate Cuba to tie the game at 4-4.

The Wolves then took the lead with a two-out, four-run rally in the seventh. With two out five straight Wolves reached base. George got things started with a single, which was then followed by a walk to Sutherland and a single by Cuba. Rueck came up with the run scoring knock, as she doubled to left to drive in two. Amanda Fleer then followed with a double of her own to plate two more.

Brittany Reeves held the Crusaders hitless over the final 4.1 innings to earn the win in relief. She struck out one and induced nine ground ball outs, as she retired the final 13 batters of the game in order to improve to 7-3 on the season.

Game 2
WOU batted around in the first inning to put six runs on the board, and then followed it with four in the second and three-spots in both the third and fourth innings to earn a 16-1 win in game two.

Tyler Sutherland went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, and Ellen Bogardus was 3-for-3 with two runs knocked in and three runs scored, as WOU outhit NNU 17-3.

Bailey Rueck and Amanda Fleer also crossed the plate three apiece times for Western Oregon. Rueck was 3-for-4 with two doubles and Fleer was 2-for-4, and each player added an RBI. Jessica Hallmark recorded three RBI and a triple in the win, and WOU registered four three-baggers in the contest.

Jessica Wood (7-6) earned the win by pitching the first four innings, while allowing three hits and one run. Kelsey White finished off the Crusaders with a perfect fifth inning, which included two strikeouts, as the game was called early because of the eight-run rule.

Western Oregon only left five runners on base in the game and seven of its 17 hits were for extra bases.

Catherine Lowery had two of NNU's three hits in the game.

Next games
The Wolves will now return home and get ready to host GNAC-leading Central Washington in a four-game set, May 7-8, with the conference title and a trip to the NCAA West Regionals on the line.