TUCSON, Ariz. – In the opening game of the Silver Championship Bracket, Western Oregon University's softball team fell in extra innings to Fort Lewis College, 10-7 in eight innings, Saturday at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Leadoff Classic played at Lincoln Park North Complex.

Sophomore Ashlee Lynch led Western Oregon (1-3) with three hits, while six other Wolves – senior Amanda Evola, senior Jourdan Williams, junior Brandy Knowles, junior Elaine Sperry, sophomore Lexi Jennings, and freshman Erika Enriques – registering a hit each that included Knowles' first home run of the season via a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning that gave WOU the late lead.

In the circle for the Wolves, freshman Lizzet Dominguez went the opening 4.0 innings allowing four earned runs on five hits before turning the ball over to junior Stephanie Morgan for two innings and junior Alyson Boytz for two innings. Morgan and Boytz combined to allow six runs (three earned) on eight hits with Boytz suffering the unfortunate loss.

Fort Lewis (1-3) was led offensively by Myndee Thompson with a perfect 4-for-4 night at the plate with three runs scored and a pair of RBI, while Missy Fundora also registered three hits in four at-bats. Kiley Raica got the start for FLC allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits over the opening 5.2 innings before turning the ball over to Victoria Johnson for the final 2.1 innings, as she shut down WOU's offense holding its without a run on just one hit en route to picking up the win.

After Fort Lewis took an early 1-0 lead after the first inning on Thompson's first RBI of the game, Western Oregon stormed back in the bottom of the second inning putting two runs on the board on back-to-back bases loaded walks by sophomore Kelsie Gardner and Enriques giving the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

One inning later, Western Oregon tacked another run on the board on a RBI single by Sperry that scored Williams and put the Wolves ahead by the score of 3-1.

In the top of the fourth inning, Fort Lewis would retake the lead (4-3) on RBIs by Lauren Caldwell, Tristen Gilbert, and Denae Fisher before Western Oregon tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when sophomore Destiny Kuehl scored on a pass ball making the score 4-4 after four innings of play.

Fort Lewis would retake the lead in the top of the fifth inning on another Thompson RBI before FLC pulled ahead (6-4) in the top of the sixth inning on a run-scoring single by Fundora.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Knowles would put Western Oregon back in front with one swing of the bat as she belted a three-run home run over the fence to give the Wolves a 7-6 lead heading into Fort Lewis' last at-bat.

With their backs against the wall, Fort Lewis responded with a single run in the top of the seventh inning thanks to another RBI by Caldwell that tied the game at 7-7 and forced extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Fort Lewis took advantage of a bases loaded, two out error by Western Oregon as FLC scored three unearned runs to take a 10-7 lead.

Western Oregon would get one final chance to extend the game, as the Wolves opened the bottom of the eighth inning with back-to-back walks by Enriques and Evola only to have Fort Lewis' defense step up and hold WOU at bay en route to FLC picking up its first win of the young season by the final score of 10-7.

The Wolves move on in the Silver Championship bracket to take on East Central University tomorrow – Sunday, February 8 – beginning at 8 a.m. at Lincoln Park North/South Complex in Tucson, Arizona.