Softball | 4/25/2013 10:02:00 AM
SOFTBALL – NORTHWEST NAZARENE AT WESTERN OREGON (DH)
Friday, April 26, 2013 - 1:00 p.m. – Monmouth, Ore.
LIVE STATS: http://athletics.wou.edu/live/xlive.htm
SOFTBALL – CENTRAL WASHINGTON AT WESTERN OREGON (DH)
Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 12:00 p.m. – Monmouth, Ore.
LIVE VIDEO (Game one only): http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/wou.portal#
LIVE STATS: http://athletics.wou.edu/live/xlive.htm
MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon softball team returns home this weekend for their final regular season games, opening with the “Strike Out Cancer” doubleheader against Northwest Nazarene on Friday, April 26, at 1:00 p.m., before closing the regular season on Saturday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m., for Senior Day against Central Washington.
For the contest against the Crusaders, WOU will wear pink uniforms to honor those who have fought cancer. Admission to the doubleheader will be a “suggested donation” of $6 for adults and $4 for non-WOU students and seniors as all donations will go to benefit the Western Oregon University Cancer Support Group.
On Satuday, there will be no charge for the doubleheader as part of "Fan Appreciation Day," as WOU will honor three seniors playing in their final home contests:
Lexi Orteza,
Desiree Villegas and
Hannah Pomeroy.
The Wolves enter the weekend at 23-24 overall and 12-8 in conference action. The Wolves currently stand in fourth-place in the conference, one- half game behind third place Simon Fraser and two games ahead of Western Washington. Last week, they swept their doubleheader at Simon Fraser before splitting a pair of games at Western Washington.
Amanda Evola has been the WOU's leader at the plate, batting .369 and is currently tied for the conference lead with nine home runs and ranks second in the GNAC in on-base percentage (.644).
Jourdan Williams (.333) and Villegas (.318) also bat above the .300 mark as the Wolves, who bat .269 as a team, lead the GNAC with 32 home runs and rank second with 234 runs scored.
The Wolves pitching staff, who currently have a 4.18 ERA in 308 innings pitched, are led by Pomeroy. The right hander is 12-6 with a 3.71 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 135.2 innings pitched. The senior right-hander earned GNAC Athlete of the Week honors this week after tossing a one-hit shutout against Simon Fraser before picking up the victory over WWU.
Northwest Nazarene enters the weekend winless in conference play at 0-20, and are 5-35 overall. The Crusaders most recent games were on April 13, when Central Washington swept the doubleheader against them to extend their losing streak to 19 games.
The Crusaders, who bat .222 as a team, are led at the plate by Michelle Crumbaker, whose batting .273 overall. Their pitching staff is led by Noelle Wright, who is 5-30 with a 4.38 ERA in 212.1 innings pitched and ranks third in the GNAC with 91 strikeouts. NNU's pitching staff has a 4.70 ERA overall in 250.1 innings pitched.
The Wildcats enter the final week of the season at 19-14 overall and 13-7 in GNAC play and are currently second in the conference after splitting a doubleheader at Montana State Billings.
Remy Bradley leads CWU at the plate and ranks second in the GNAC in batting at .397 overall. Cassi Ellis, who is second on the team in batting, ranks fifth overall in the conference with a .375 average. The Wildcats currently bat a conference best .309 as a team.
In the circle, CWU has posted a 3.43 team ERA in 210.1 innings pitched and are led by Maria Gau as she is 8-9 overall with a conference best 2.04 ERA in 106.1 innings pitched.
Earlier this season, the Wolves swept a doubleheader against the Crusaders before splitting a doubleheader against the Wildcats.
Should the Wolves finish the weekend in the top-four in the GNAC standings, WOU will advance to postseason play at the GNAC Softball Championship, which opens on Thursday, May 2, in Billings, Mont. The winner of the conference championship will advance to the NCAA West Regional.
