HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. – At the annual Northwest Cup hosted by Concordia University-Portland, Western Oregon University's softball team split a pair of game against Cascade Collegiate Conference members Oregon Institute of Technology and tournament-host Concordia, 5-1 & 2-9, Friday at Hood View Park.

Western Oregon (3-11) was led offensively by senior Amanda Evola with a combined four hits to go along with two runs batted in and a run scored, while sophomore Kelsie Gardner tallied three hits and a pair of runs scored for the Wolves. Junior Brandy Knowles and freshman Zoe Clark also registered a pair of hits on the afternoon, while the sophomore duo of Ashlee Lynch and Ku'ulei Siolo both drove in runs against Concordia.

In the circle, junior Alyson Boytz went the distance against Oregon Tech allowing one unearned run on six hits with a pair of strikeouts en route to picking up her first win as a Wolf. Freshman Lizzet Dominguez and sophomore Sammi Cadwallader combined to pitch against Concordia, as Dominguez allowed seven earned runs on seven hits over the opening 2.1 innings before Cadwallader held the Cavaliers to two runs (one earned) on four hits over the final 3.2 innings.

GAME #1 — WESTERN OREGON 5, OREGON TECH 1

In Friday's opener, Western Oregon got on the board first when Evola ripped a single up the middle to bring home Gardner following her lead off walk in the bottom of the first inning.

The Wolves would add four more runs to their total in the bottom of the fourth inning on RBIs by freshman Amy Anderson, Evola, and Knowles, as Western Oregon extended its lead to five runs (5-0) after four innings of play.

Oregon Tech would plate its lone run in the top of the fifth inning when Tara Moates scored on a throwing error by WOU's third baseman, as the Hustlin' Owls pulled within four runs (5-1).

That would be as close as Boytz would allow OIT to get, as she allowed only one more hit to the Owls over the final two innings en route to picking up the win.

Oregon Tech was led offensively by Katie Virtue with a pair of hits, while four other Owls tallied a hit each. In the circle, Ann-Marie Guischer went the opening 3.2 innings allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits before turning the ball over to Jessi Duncan for the final 2.1 innings as she allowed just one hit by WOU in relief.

GAME #2 — CONCORDIA 9, WESTERN OREGON 2

In the finale on Friday, Concordia scored in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run over the right center field fence by Kate Santos resulting in a quick 2-0 lead for the home team.

Western Oregon would fight back to tie the game in the top of the second inning when Siolo singled home Clark before Lynch brought home Siolo via a double to left field that tie the score at 2-2.

In the bottom of the third inning, Concordia erupted for five runs on five hits with all of the Cavaliers runs being charged as unearned following a WOU error that extended the inning as CU jumped in front by five runs (7-2).

Concordia would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a WOU error and a double by Destinee Chang that pushed the Cavaliers' lead to the final margin of seven runs (9-2).

The top four hitters in Concordia's lineup registered two hits each, while Santos and Chang each drove in a pair of runs for the Cavaliers. Mattie Boucher went the distance in the circle for CU, as she allowed two earned runs on eight hits with a game-high seven strikeouts.

Western Oregon will take the next two weeks off before beginning Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Friday, March 6, against Northwest Nazarene University with a double header beginning at 2 PM at WOU's Softball Field in Monmouth.