TURLOCK, Calif. - The Western Oregon softball team dropped a trio of games to open the 2011 Tournament of Champions Friday. The Wolves fell to Chico State (9-1), Cal State Monterey Bay (8-1), and Cal State Stanislaus (2-1) on the first day of the three-day tournament.

Game One
Chico State, ranked fourth in the West Region, defeated WOU 9-1 in six innings behind 13 hits and an excellent outing from pitcher Jessica McDermott in Western's opening game of the tournament.

The Wildcats led 7-0 before sophomore Andrea Bailey's RBI single scored junior Danyelle Hutchinson in the top of the fifth. Chico State added another run in the bottom of the fifth before homering to end the game an inning later.

McDermott (4-1) pitched a complete game for the Wildcats, striking out seven while giving up just three hits. She surrendered five walks.

Junior Bailey Rueck and senior Jessica Wood also registered hits for the Wolves. Wood (4-10) was saddled with the loss.

Game Two
Cal State Monterey Bay scored seven runs in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and earn an 8-1 win over Western in the Wolves' second game of the day.

The Otters struck first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-out RBI double.

WOU opened the fourth inning with a ground-rule double from senior Jessica Hallmark. Hallmark was replaced on the base paths with junior Kendra George, who put WOU on the scoreboard behind an error later in the inning.

The game was tied entering the sixth inning before Cal State Monterey Bay recorded seven runs. The Wolves were able to load the bases in the top of the seventh but could not cash in.

Freshman Alex Hillmick (4-5) took the loss. She notched three K's and gave up four earned runs.

Hallmark registered two hits, including her third double of the season. Rueck and senior Tierra-Lyn Cuba had one hit apiece. Freshman Ashley Worthey stole her fourth base of the season.

CSUMB's Diane Ortiz (5-11) earned the win, striking out four while ceding four hits and six walks. Angelina Orozco drove in three runs for the Otters.

Game Three
Cal State Stanislaus hung on to defeat WOU 2-1 in Western's final game of the day.

The Warriors tallied two runs in the fourth behind a two-RBI single from Kiley Mendez.

Cal State Stanislaus still held a 2-0 lead going into the seventh inning before junior Kelsie Didion's two-out sacrifice fly scored Rueck. Runners remained on second and third but a strikeout ended any hope of a comeback.

CSUS pitcher Weatherford (8-13) notched five strikeouts while giving up four hits and three walks.

Wood (4-11) struck out two and walked none in 5.1 innings of work. She was saddled with the loss.

Bailey registered her seventh double of the season while Hallmark recorded her fourth double.

Next Time Out
The Wolves will face UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino tomorrow in the second day of the tournament. The first game is scheduled for 11:15 am. The second game is scheduled for 4:30 pm.