Softball | 5/9/2014 6:15:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SEASIDE, Calif. – The Western Oregon University softball team's record-breaking season came to an end with a loss to fourth-seeded California Baptist in the second elimination game of the NCAA Div. II West sub-Regional tournament Friday.
The eighth-seeded Wolves (34-23) broke the program-record for most wins in a single season with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in the first elimination game over fifth-seed Sonoma State earlier Friday. That was just one of the many records set by this year's WOU team.
Kelsie Gardner's 57 runs were the most in a single season in Western Oregon history.
Melanie Pfeiffer and
Amanda Evola both broke the most at-bats in a single season with 201. They are the only WOU softball players to ever have 200 at-bats in a season. Evola's 81 hits and 55 RBI are new records for a single season. As a team, this Wolves' team 29 turned double plays in 2014 is a program best as well.
NCAA Div. II West Region 1: Game 4 – Western Oregon 4, Sonoma State 3
Western Oregon was down to its last out in the bottom of the sixth, with the tying run on second base, when a strikeout turned to reach on a wild pitch, which turned to two errors, which turned to a pair of scores. The wild finish seemed even less likely than it sounded as the Wolves were held to just three hits through the first five innings, with two of them coming in the opening inning.
In the top of the first, Sonoma State recorded the first score off of perfectly placed bunt. WOU countered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Evola roped her first triple of the season, fifth of her career, down the right field line that scored Gardner and Pfeiffer. An RBI single by the Seawolves (38-22) in the top of the third evened the score at two. A double in the top of the fourth drove in the go-ahead score for SSU.
Amanda Llerena (22-14) retired 11 straight Wolves from the second through the fourth inning. Only one WOU batter reached out of 15 at-bats through the sixth. Llerena had five of her eight strikeouts during that stretch. She gave up two earned runs off of four hits. The sophomore walked three batters.
After a leadoff flyout opened the bottom of the sixth,
Jourdan Williams singled through the middle. A strikeout followed, and then
Lexi Jennings pinch ran for Williams.
Ashlee Lynch forced a walk after a nine-pitch at-bat.
Destiny Kuehl came into pinch run for Lynch. With two outs,
Ashlie Gardner struckout on a 1-2 pitch, but was able to reach first base after wild pitch. That's when the mayhem began.
A throw from the catcher to first base was too high and flew into the outfield,
Ashlie Gardner moved to second, and Jennings rounded third and came in for the tying score. A toss to third was also errant and Kuehl slid across the plate for the winning score.
Kelli Demianew retired the side in the top of the seventh to seal the win. The junior allowed only two hits and kept the Seawolves scoreless after entering the game in the top of the third with two outs. She tossed no strikeouts and no walks in the 4.1 innings.
The Wolves were outhit 9-4 in the game, but the two errors by both teams proved to be the factor, as SSU's errors aided the outcome. The Seawolves stranded six runners on base, while WOU left five.
Western Oregon 4, Sonoma State 3 (May 09, 2014 at Seaside, CA)
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Sonoma State........ 111 000 0 - 3 9 2 (38-23)
Western Oregon...... 200 002 X - 4 4 2 (33-22)
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Pitchers: Sonoma State - LLERENA and TOLLIVER. Western Oregon - Williams, Jourdan;
Demianew, Kelli(3) and Box, Bridjet.
Win-Demianew, Kelli(17-11) Loss-LLERENA(22-14) T-1:38 A-0
NCAA Div. II West Region 1: Game 5 – Cal Baptist 10, Western Oregon 0 (5 inn.)
The No. 21-ranked team in the latest NFCA Div. II national poll, California Baptist (45-12), dominated the fifth game of the regional tournament. Belinda Renne grabbed her 28th win of the season on the mound after holding the Wolves to just one hit through four innings of work. She retired 13 of the 15 batters she faced. Renne (28-7) fanned three WOU batters, while tossing two walks.
The Lancers jumped out to a big early lead after scoring four runs in both the first and second innings. CBU tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.
London Miller went 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBI. She hit her 13th home run and 19th double of the season during the victory. Ashley DeVaere also went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs.
Demianew (17-12) was credited with the loss after throwing the first three innings.
Eryka Brill closed her career on the mound, tossing the final two innings.
California Baptist advances to the championship series against top-seeded and third-ranked Cal State-Monterey Bay. The Lancers will have to beat host CSUMB twice to claim the sub-regional title.
California Baptist 10, Western Oregon 0 (May 09, 2014 at Seaside, CA)
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California Baptist.. 440 20 - 10 10 0 (45-12)
Western Oregon...... 000 00 - 0 1 2 (33-23)
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Pitchers: California Baptist - Renne, B.; Hatch, K.(5) and Miller, S.. Western Oregon -
Demianew, Kelli; Brill, Eryka(4) and Box, Bridjet.
Win-Renne, B.(28-7) Loss-Demianew, Kelli(17-12) T-1:30 A-288
HR CBU - Miller, L. (13).
Weather: Blue skies and calm seas
Demianew faced 2 batters in the 4th.
