Softball | 2/26/2011 6:56:56 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon softball team suffered two late comebacks by Montana State Billings in its Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener to fall in both games of a doubleheader, 5-4 and 8-7, on Saturday (Feb. 26).

The losses drop the Wolves to 3-4 on the season while improving the Yellowjackets to 4-3.

Ashley Worthey went 5-for-7 with three runs and four RBI in the doubleheader to pace the Wolves. Jessica Wood also added three runs batted in.

Game 1
Kaycee Hoffman's bases clearing double with two out in seventh inning lifted Montana State Billings to a 5-4 win over Western Oregon.

WOU led 4-0 entering the top of the sixth inning before MSU Billings rallied with two in the sixth and three more in the seventh.

Western Oregon had grabbed the lead behind a strong performance on the mound and in the batters box by Jessica Wood. The senior from The Dalles, Ore., went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and a run batted in.

Wood (2-3) was also did not give up a run for Western Oregon through five innings allowing just three hits and six strikeouts. She ended the game with a final line of five runs, eight hits and eight strike outs in 6.2 innings and was saddled with the loss after the Yellowjackets rallied for the win.

Hoffman was the offensive force for the Yellowjackets with four RBI and two doubles. Meg Harasymczuk added two runs and a double as she went 2-for-3.

Western Oregon took the lead in the fourth on Wood's double to score Worthey. WOU added three in their half of the fifth on run scoring hits by Bailey Rueck and Worthey. It would push across one more on an unearned run to go in front 4-0.

Catcher Ashley Worthey also went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Wolves.

Game 2
Montana State Billings' Meg Harasymczuk deposited a three-run homer over the right-center field wall in the top of the seventh inning to give the Yellowjackets an 8-7 win in game two.

Harasymczuk's game-winning homer came on the eve of the Wolves scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Down 5-3 heading into their half of the sixth, Western Oregon rallied for four runs. Andrea Bailey started the scoring with a solo home run to center. Tierra-Lyn Cuba then singled and two batters later Jessica Hallmark reached on a walk. With two runners on, Ashley Worthey came through as she doubled off the left field wall to drive in one and put runners at second and third for Jessica Wood. On the first pitch, Wood lined the ball up the middle to score two and put the Wolves in front 7-5.

The Yellowjackets had the answer in the seventh however. They scored three runs in their last at-bat to earn the one-run win. MSU Billings capitalized on a Wolves' error to leadoff the inning when its next hitter singled and Harasymczuk followed with the go-ahead three-run blast.

Worthey led Western Oregon at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI. Hallmark also added two runs scored as she reached base in three of her four plate appearances with a single and two walks. Bailey was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI out of the leadoff spot.

Wood (2-4) took the loss after being charged with three runs (two earned). WOU's defense also committed two errors in the seventh inning.

Next Games
These teams will lock up for another GNAC doubleheader tomorrow (Feb. 27) at 11:00 a.m.