MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon softball team shared a pair of games with visiting Northwest Nazarene Thursday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action. The Wolves took the opener 6-1 before NNU picked up the nightcap 10-6.

The split puts WOU at 12-26 (9-17 GNAC) while the Crusaders now sit at 14-26 (13-15 GNAC).

Game One
The Wolves cruised to a 6-1 win in Thursday's opener behind a six-run second inning and strong pitching from freshman Alex Hillmick.

Western blew the game open in their half of the second inning. After a ground out to start the inning, junior Kelsie Didion singled up the middle to reach first. Freshman Tia Misfeldt was subsequently walked before advancing to second on a wild pitch as Didion took third. Freshman Ashley Gardner followed with a full-count single through the left side, scoring Didion.

During sophomore Andrea Bailey's at-bat, Gardner stole second, allowing Misfeldt to steal home. After Bailey grounded out, advancing Gardner to third, senior Tierra-Lyn Cuba drew a walk. Gardner managed to score on a wild pitch during freshman Ashley Worthey's at-bat, putting the hosts up 3-0.

Worthey delivered a single up the middle, moving Cuba to second. Senior Jessica Hallmark followed with a three-run shot to left field, giving WOU a 6-0 advantage. Junior Bailey Rueck managed to single in Western's next at-bat, but the third out came on a subsequent ground ball.

All told, the Wolves notched five hits and two stolen bases while drawing two walks.

Meanwhile, Hillmick was keeping the Crusaders off the scoreboard. NNU's lone run came on a solo home run from Liz Beaty to lead off the seventh inning. She found herself in a handful of jams, however, as the visitors loaded the bases in the second and sixth innings. She would force a ground out and pop out to end the respective innings.

Hillmick (7-9) went the distance for Western, giving up 11 hits and two walks. She struck out four batters while forcing NNU into 12 fly outs and four ground outs.

Hallmark's home run was her 11th of the season and 41st of her career. Didion went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate.

NNU's Chelsey Anderson (7-9) was saddled with the loss, allowing seven hits and three walks. She struck out three in six innings of work.

Game Two
Northwest Nazarene jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on defeat Western 10-6 in Thursday's nightcap.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after an RBI single and sacrifice fly drove in a pair of runs. They increased their advantage to three an inning later after a bases-loaded walk forced a run in.

WOU started off the second with a single from Hallmark, who advanced to second on a wild pitch during Rueck's at-bat. Rueck took the next pitch and drove it over the left-field wall, reducing NNU's lead to 3-2.

NNU would regain control with a three-run third inning as a lead-off home run and a two-RBI double put the Crusaders up 6-2.

Bailey led off the third with a single to left field. After a pair of foul outs, she stole second, allowing Hallmark to drive her in with a single to center field, narrowing the margin to 6-3.

The Wolves would knot the game at 6-6 with a three-run fifth. Once again, Bailey started things with a hit, doubling to left center. Cuba reached on an error by NNU's shortstop while Bailey advanced to third. Worthey plated Bailey with a double to left center, advancing Cuba to third in the process. Cuba used a sacrifice fly from Hallmark to score WOU's second run of the inning.

Worthey moved to third on Hallmark's sacrifice fly, followed by a walk to Rueck. Worthey managed to steal home as NNU's catcher attempted to pick off Rueck's steal attempt, tying the game.

NNU went back up in the sixth thanks to a pair of RBI singles, taking an 8-6 advantage.

Western was retired in order in the sixth before the Crusaders tacked on two more runs in the seventh to close the game out. A trio of fly outs ended WOU's comeback attempt.

Hillmick (7-10) took the loss for Western. She pitched five innings of relief, allowing nine hits and four walks.

NNU's Nicole Grummons (7-15) earned the win behind a seven-inning outing that saw her allow eight hits. She fanned seven batters while ceding just one walk.

WOU saw its third, fourth, and fifth batters combine to hit 5-for-9, including a 2-for-2 outing from Rueck. Both Hallmark and Rueck had a pair of RBIs. Bailey accounted for two of Western's runs.

Next Time Out
The Wolves will meet GNAC foe Montana State Billings in a doubleheader Saturday (April 23) in Billings, Mont. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. PST.