[Box Score - Game 1] [Box Score - Game 2]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon softball team split a pair of games with visiting Saint Martin's in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday. The Wolves routed the Saints 7-1 in the opener before falling 3-0 in the nightcap of WOU's annual "Pink Out" day to raise awareness of breast cancer.

The split brings Western's record to 11-23 (8-14 GNAC) while SMU now owns a 4-20 (3-16 GNAC) mark.

Game One
The Wolves scored four runs in the sixth inning, turning their two-run lead into a six-run advantage, before going on to claim the 7-1 victory.

Neither team was able to get anything going early in the game as the two squads combined for three hits and three walks. Only three runners advanced to scoring position in the first 4.5 innings.

Western was finally able to break through in the bottom of the fourth on a single through the left side from senior Tierra-Lyn Cuba. Senior Jessica Hallmark advanced Cuba with a sacrifice bunt in WOU's next at-bat before freshman Ashley Worthey's single up the middle drove in Cuba, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Worthey advanced to second on a throw home, allowing junior Bailey Rueck to score her with a single to left field, putting the Wolves up 2-0. Rueck managed to advance all the way to third thanks to a throw home and an error.

Junior Kendra George followed with a perfect bunt, allowing Rueck to score on the squeeze play, gaining a 3-0 lead. George reached first base on a fielder's choice, but was subsequently caught stealing, giving Western its second out. A fly out to right field would end the inning.

Saint Martin's would respond in the top of the fifth, scoring one run behind a two-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left field from Joslyn Eugenio. A ground out ended the inning with two SMU runners stranded in scoring position.

The Wolves broke the game open behind a four-run sixth inning. Cuba earned a lead-off walk before Hallmark's double to right center advanced her to third. Worthey then singled to score Cuba.

After an infield fly, George singled to right field, driving in Hallmark. George proceeded to advance to second but was caught in a pickle. Worthey took advantage of the situation to steal home, allowing George to get to second on a throw home, giving WOU a 6-1 lead.

Freshman Ashley Gardner followed with a double to left center, after which freshman Tia Misfeldt's bunt created the error that allowed Gardner to score, putting the Wolves up 7-1. George was called out at home in an attempt to score on the same play. Western's next at-bat ended the inning with a fly out to right field.

Freshman Alex Hillmick struck out the first SMU batter in the bottom of the seventh before earning the inning's second out on a ground out. After a single, the game ended on a fielder's choice to second base.

Worthey was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day, collecting two RBIs. She also notched two runs and a stolen base. George also tallied two RBIs while Cuba scored two runs. The heart of Western's order was 8-for-15 (.533) on the day.

Hillmick (6-8) went the distance for WOU, her ninth complete game of the season. She struck out three while giving up four hits and two walks. The GNAC leader in ground outs forced SMU into 15 such plays.

Her counterpart, Eugenio (2-10), pitched five innings, giving up five hits and two walks, striking out none.

Lacey McGladrey tallied two hits for the Saints.

Game Two
Saint Martin's broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the seventh to take the nightcap 3-0.

In a true pitcher's duel, senior Jessica Wood and SMU's Brandi Klemm frustrated opposing batters. Wood (4-15) was solid through six innings, fanning five batters and stranding five runners. She got some help from her teammates, most noticeably in the sixth inning when freshman Ashley Gardner fielded a one-hop hit from Morgan Klemm on her knees, tagging out Caitlyn Fewins before tossing the ball to an outstretched Cuba who kept her foot on the bag to put out Klemm.

Brandi Klemm (2-10) pitched a complete game for the Saints, giving up just two hits and one walk. She registered one strikeout but forced the Wolves into 12 fly outs.

The game was decided in the top of the seventh as SMU's Brandi Klemm hit a leadoff homer to center field, turning a scoreless tie into a 1-0 advantage. Tiffany Griffiths was walked on SMU's next at-bat but was tagged out on a fielder's choice on the next play as Madison Davis reached first. The second out of the inning came on a line drive bunt to Wood. Lacey McGladrey followed with an RBI double that scored Davis.

Junior Kelsey White would replace Wood for the remainder of the inning, but the Saints managed to single in the subsequent at-bat, driving in McGladrey and putting the visitors up 3-0. White forced a pop out to end the inning.

Western started their half of the seventh with a fly out to center field. Worthey managed to single through the right side but was put out on a fielder's choice on WOU's next at-bat. The game would end with a ground out to second base.

Worthey and Gardner were the only Wolves to register hits.

SMU's Lacey McGladrey went 4-for-4 with an RBI. Brandi Klemm and Megan Antonovich had two hits apiece for the Saints.

Next Time Out
The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow with another doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 11 am.