BURNABY, B.C. - The Western Oregon softball team rebounded to take a pair of games from host Simon Fraser, 3-2 and 6-5, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Monday.

The victories bring Western's record to 7-6 (4-4 GNAC) while SFU drops to 2-2 (2-2 GNAC) on the year.

Game One
Senior Jessica Wood (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka) pitched a complete game, allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits while fanning five, to lead the Wolves to a 3-2 victory in the opening game.

Western struck first as Wood was driven in on a double from junior Bailey Rueck (Portland, Ore./Grant) in the top of the first. The Clan answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead.

The Wolves earned their second and third runs on two throwing errors in their half of the third inning, scoring junior Kendra George (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg) and sophomore Andrea Bailey (Gresham, Ore./Barlow).

Simon Fraser would collect just three hits the rest of the way. At one point, Wood retired 12 consecutive batters, keeping the Clan off the bases from the second inning to the sixth.

Rueck, George, and senior Jessica Hallmark (Salem, Ore./Sprague) were the only Wolves to notch hits on the day, with Rueck recording the team's only RBI.

SFU's Kelsey Haberl led her team with two hits and two RBIs. Clan pitcher Cara Lukawesky also pitched a complete game, giving up just one earned run while K'ing four.

Game Two
Western Oregon used a six-run sixth inning to steal the nightcap from Simon Fraser, 6-5.

The game was scoreless through the top of the fourth before the Clan notched two runs behind a two-run homer from Haberl, giving SFU a 2-0 lead. They increased their advantage to 3-0 behind a single from Haberl in the bottom of the fifth.

The Wolves responded with a monster sixth inning. Senior Tierra-Lyn Cuba (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani) drew a walk before Hallmark drove her in with a home run to left field. Two batters later, Rueck reached first base on an error, followed by a single from Tia Misfeldt (Grants Pass, Ore./Grants Pass). After freshman Ashley Worthey (Aloha, Ore./Century) was walked, junior Kelsie Didion (Milton-Freewater, Ore./McLoughlin) grounded out to third base, but drove in Rueck in the process, knotting the game at 3-3.

George then singled through the left side, scoring Misfeldt, and giving WOU a 4-3 lead. Western would add two more runs behind a double from Bailey, going up 6-3.

The Clan scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two-run shot from Leah Riske, but were thwarted when Brittany Mayers popped up to left field, ending the game.

Freshman Alex Hillmick (Pendleton, Ore./Pendleton) pitched a complete game for Western, ceding five hits and four earned runs. She struck out four batters and walked one.

Cuba led the Wolves with two hits while Bailey and Hallmark recorded two RBIs apiece.

SFU used three pitchers in the contest, with Kelsie Hawkins taking the loss. Hawkins pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four hits and two unearned runs. Haberl tallied two hits and three RBIs.

Next Time Out
WOU will travel to No. 23 Western Washington for back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday (Mar. 12) and Sunday (Mar. 13). The first pitch is set for noon PST.