[Game 1 box score] [Game 2 box score]

NAMPA, Idaho - The Western Oregon softball team saw host Northwest Nazarene earn come-from-behind wins in both Great Northwest Athletic Conference games played Friday. The Crusaders took the opener 3-1 before steaing the nightcap 6-5 on a walk-off home run in extra innings.

Game One
NNU scored three runs in the sixth inning, erasing a 1-0 deficit to take the opener 3-1.

The Wolves found the scoreboard first, notching one run in the second inning. Senior Jessica Wood drove a one-out double into center field before freshman Ashley Gardner scored her on another double two at-bats later. The double was Wood's sixth of the season while Gardner's double was the first of the freshman's career.

NNU was able to break through in the sixth inning behind a lead-off homer from Elizabeth Bailey, tying the game at 1-1. A fielding error later in the inning allowed the Crusaders to score their final two runs.

Junior Bailey Rueck led off the seventh with a walk, but three consecutive outs ended any hope for a comeback.

Neither team could get much going behind two excellent pitching performances. Before being replaced in the sixth, Wood (4-14) had struck out seven Crusader batters while allowing five hits and three walks.

Chelsey Anderson (7-5), NNU's pitcher, was equally good, limiting Western to two hits on the day. She tallied five K's and forced the Wolves into ten groundouts and six flyouts.

Freshman Ashley Worthey registered her fifth stolen base of the season in the sixth inning.

In addition to Bailey's homerun, NNU got two-baggers from Haley Hevern and Anderson.

Game Two
NNU's Cara Duckworth hit a two-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to steal the nightcap 6-5 despite senior Jessica Wood's first career grand slam.

The Wolves notched their first run in the second behind a one-out homer from senior Jessica Hallmark, her eighth of the season.

The Crusaders answered with an RBI single in their half of the second inning, knotting the game at 1-1.

Western managed to load the bases in the third inning behind a pair of singles from sophomore Andrea Bailey and senior Tierra-Lyn Cuba and a walk to sophomore Bailey Rueck. Wood brought them all home on a two-out shot to center field, her first career grand slam and WOU's first of the season. The four runs gave WOU a 5-1 lead.

NNU would slowly chip away at Western's lead, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third and one run in the fourth, tying the game at 5-5.

Both teams had their chances to score as NNU stranded three runners in the fourth before the Wolves did the same in the fifth.

In the top of the eighth inning, Western managed to load the bases behind singles from junior Kendra George, freshman Ashley Gardner, and Bailey, but a two-out strikeout left all three on base.

WOU freshman Alex Hillmick proceeded to fan NNU's first two batters in the bottom of the eighth before Duckworth's walk-off homer down the left field line ended the game.

Hillmick (4-7) struck out five while allowing nine hits and three walks. She forced NNU into 13 flyouts and five groundouts.

Her counterpart, Nicole Grummons (5-12) fanned six and ceded ten hits and one walk.

Bailey paced Western with three hits, her team-leading 11th multi-hit game of the year.

Wood's grand slam was also her second home run of the season. Freshman Ashley Worthey's double in the first inning was her sixth double of the season.

Catherine Lowery led NNU with three RBIs.

Next Time Out
The two squads will tangle again tomorrow in another pair of games. First pitch is set for noon.