Softball | 2/27/2011 5:08:52 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Alex Hillmick earned a win and a save to help the Western Oregon softball team sweep a doubleheader from Montana State Billings, 2-1 and 7-3, on Sunday (Feb. 27).

The back-to-back wins gave WOU (5-4, 2-2 GNAC) and MSU Billings (4-5, 2-2 GNAC) a split in the opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference series for both teams.

Game 1
Hillmick allowed just one run over seven innings to make two early Wolves' runs hold up for a 2-1 victory.

This was the first career complete game victory for the freshman from Pendleton, Ore. (Pendleton High School). She gave up just five hits and struck out six en route to improving to 2-0 on the season. The only run she allowed was a solo home run to Meg Harasymczuk with two outs in the first inning

The Wolves manufactured runs in the second and third innings to overcome the early deficit. Their first run came on a foul out with the bases loaded by Tia Misfeldt which carried MSU Billings' third baseman out of play, which allowed all Western Oregon's runners to advance a base.

WOU would push across the go-ahead run in the third on Bailey Rueck's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to plate Andrea Bailey, who led off the inning with a walk.

While Western Oregon was able to score two runs without the benefit of a run-scoring hit, the Yellowjackets struggled to score as they left 10 runners on base and went 4-for-13 with runners on, including 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.

Annaleisha Parsley (1-2) took the loss. She gave up four hits and two runs while walking four and striking out three.

Game 2
Tierra-Lyn Cuba and Jessica Wood each had two two-out RBI and three Wolves' pitchers combined to allowed just one earned run (three total) in 7-3 win in game two.

Western Oregon put four runs on the board in the second to grab an early lead. It then added three insurance runs in the fifth after MSU Billings had narrowed the lead to one.

Danielle Harcourt was the only Wolf to record a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Tia Misfeldt reached base in all three of her plate appearances as she drew walks and had a hit. She also scored two runs. Jessica Hallmark scored runs in each of Western Oregon's scoring innings and also added a hit and a walk.

In the circle, Wood started the game for Western Oregon and pitched a very strong first three innings, facing just two over the minimum. She ran into trouble in the fourth after the Yellowjackets loaded the bases with one out. Western Oregon head coach Pam Knox then went to the bullpen for Kelsey White, who responded by getting out of the inning with just one run allowed to pick up her first win of the season. Alex Hillmick took over in the fifth and pitched the final three innings to earn her first career save.

The game featured no extra base hits and Western Oregon out-singled MSU Billings 9-6.

Next games
Western Oregon will continue its GNAC schedule next weekend in Canada as WOU goes to Simon Fraser for a four game series, Mar. 5-6.