Softball | 3/6/2013 11:52:00 AM

SOFTBALL - MONTANA STATE BILLINGS AT WESTERN OREGON (DH)
Friday, March 8, 2013 - 12:00 p.m. - Monmouth, Ore.

LIVE STATS: http://athletics.wou.edu/live/xlive.htm

SOFTBALL - SAINT MARTIN'S AT WESTERN OREGON (DH)
Sunday, March 10, 2013 - 12:00 p.m. - Monmouth, Ore.

LIVE STATS: http://athletics.wou.edu/live/xlive.htm

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon softball team returns to action this week as the Wolves open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play when they host Montana State Billings on Friday, March 8, at 12:00 p.m. in a doubleheader before a doubleheader with Saint Martin's on Sunday, March 10, at 12:00 p.m.

The Wolves enter conference play with a record of 9-12 overall after WOU swept a doubleheader from Concordia on Sunday. Amanda Evola led the WOU attack as she was named GNAC Player of the Week after going 8-for-13 in four games last week with two doubles and two home runs.

The sophomore centerfielder continues to lead the WOU offense as she leads the team and ranks fourth in the conference with a .402 batting average. Evola has been a force offensively as she leads the league in six offensive categories: hits (25), runs scored (16), home runs (5), doubles (8), RBI (16) and total bases (48).

As a team, WOU is currently hitting .271 on the season as the Wolves lead the league in runs scored with 95. Desiree Villegas is also off to a strong start for the Wolves at the plate as she ranks second on the team and seventh in the league in hitting with a .377 average.

In a circle, WOU has three pitchers in the top 10 in the league in pitching as the Wolves enter the weekend third in the conference with a 4.26 team ERA. Hannah Pomeroy has seen the most action in the circle as the right-hander has posted a 5-3 record with a 4.40 ERA in 55.2 innings of work. Stephanie Morgan (2-3, 3.94 ERA) and Jourdan Williams (2-6, 4.38 ERA) have also seen significant action for the Wolves.

Montana State Billings, the defending conference champion and picked to win the league this year, enters the weekend with a mark of 3-7 on the season after sweeping Northwest Nazarene before dropping a single game to Simon Fraser last week.

The Yellowjackets are hitting .285 as a team with Cori Gammon leading the way with a .313 average in six runs scored. Jessyka MacDonald has seen most of the action in the circle, posting a 2-1 record and 3.00 ERA in 21.0 innings of work.

Meanwhile, the Saints have won five straight heading into conference play as SMU enters with an overall record of 9-5 overall after sweeping Northwest College last week. Lacey McGladrey leads the Saints attack with a .375 average, two home runs and 12 runs scored. The Saints lead the league in pitching with a 2.43 ERA as Taylor Bakos ranks second in the conference with a 2.36 ERA and 5-2 record in 50.1 innings of work.

Admission to this weekend's contests is $6 for adults and $4 for non-WOU students and seniors. WOU students, faculty and staff are admitted for free with a valid identification card.

Following the homestand, WOU will return to action on Friday, March 15, when the Wolves travel to Nampa, Idaho, to face Northwest Nazarene in a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.