Softball | 5/2/2013 1:57:00 PM

Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. – The Western Oregon softball team dropped its opener of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball Championship as the second-seeded Wolves fell to third-seeded Simon Fraser, 3-2, in action on Thursday afternoon. With the loss, WOU falls to 27-25 on the season and falls to the elimination bracket of the championship.

A pair of unearned runs in the first inning allowed Simon Fraser to grab an early, 2-0, lead as Trisha Bouchard doubled with two outs to score Lauren Mew and Kaitlyn Cameron as the Wolves fell behind early.

WOU managed to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning when Jourdan Williams delivered a RBI groundout, scoring Melanie Pfeiffer from third to make the score 2-1.

A pitcher's duel would ensue over the next four innings before the teams traded runs in the sixth. Cameron extended the lead back to two as her home run to left field gave the Clan a 3-1 advantage.

Desiree Villegas would drive home a run in the bottom of the inning on a RBI ground out to pull back within one; however, the Wolves would be unable to push the tying run across as WOU would fall for just the second time in the last nine games.

Hannah Pomeroy was the tough-luck loser for WOU, falling to 14-8 on the season after allowing only one earned run on five hits in seven innings of work.

Cara Lukawesky improved to 10-11 on the season, allowing one run on two hits in four innings of action. Kelsey Hawkins picked up the save after allowing one run on four hits over the final three innings.

Amanda Evola led the WOU attack with a pair of hits and a run scored.

WOU will return to action on Friday, May 3, at 11:30 a.m. and will face the loser between Saint Martin's and Central Washington in an elimination contest.