MONMOUTH, Ore. – In its final non-Division II games of the season, Western Oregon University's softball team extended its winning streak to six games with a double header sweep of NAIA member Northwest Christian University, 2-0 & 10-4, Tuesday afternoon on the WOU Softball Field.

"These wins feel good," said Head Coach Lonny Sargent. "A little scary, as Northwest Christian looks so much better than they have. Coach Strand has done a great job."

Sophomore Kelsie Gardner led Western Oregon (9-11) offensively with a combined 4-for-7 with three runs scored, while four other Wolves – senior Amanda Evola, sophomore Ashley Radziuk, sophomroe Ku'ulei Siolo, and freshman Zoe Clark – also collected two hits on the afternoon. Junior Brandy Knowles drove in the game-winning run in the opener, while Clark led the Wolves' offense with three RBI to go along with a pair by Radziuk in the finale.

In the circle, junior Alyson Boytz pitched her third straight complete game en route to earning her third win of the season as she allowed a mere four hits in the opener with a game-high five strikeouts. In Game #2, senior Jourdan Williams picked up her third win this season against zero defeats as she went the opening 4.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits before turning the ball over to sophomore Sammi Cadwallader and junior Stephanie Morgan for the final three innings.

Northwest Christian (3-13) was led offensively by Addy Hoskins with a combined three hits, while Taylor Medley was the only other Beacons with multiple hits thanks to a 2-for-3 performance in Game #1. Jill Suratt went the distance in the opener for NCU allowing two earned runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts, while the duo of Katie Walker and Janieve Boyles combined in the Game #2 loss allowing 10 runs (five earned) on 12 hits with one K.

GAME #1 — WESTERN OREGON 2, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 0

Tuesday's opener was a pitcher's dual throughout the game, as both worked quickly and did not allow a run until the bottom of the sixth inning when Western Oregon broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs via RBI hits by Knowles and Clark.

Gardner would begin the Wolves' at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning when a walk before stealing second. Two batters later, Knowles would rip a seeing-eye single into centerfield that NCU's outfielder attemped a throw home that Gardner slid under the tag of the Beacons' catcher for the eventual game-winning run. After Williams was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, Clark added an insurance run with a single through the right side that scored freshman Emma Alfonso after she reached on an infield single earlier in the inning to extend the Wolves' lead to 2-0.

Northwest Christian would threaten in the top of the seventh inning, as the Beacons got runners on second and third with two outs only to have Boytz end the game with her fifth strikeout.

Alfonso and Knowles were the only WOU players to register more than one hit with two each, while Evola, and Clark had the Wolves' other two hits.

Northwest Christian would get a pair of hits by Medley and single hits off the bats of Hoskins and Ashlee Cole.

When asked about Game #1 being a pitcher's dual, Coach Sargent said, "I think that our defense kept us in it which is what we have always told them because if our offense goes silent, try and keep us within a few runs or any and Ali did a great job pitching. Luckily, we were able to come away with a few runs."

GAME #2 — WESTERN OREGON 10, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 4

The finale on Tuesday would be a much different story for both teams, as they combined to register 14 runs on 19 hits.

Northwest Christian would jump out to a quick 3-1 lead after its first two at-bats on a two-run double by Hoskins and a error that allowed the Beacons' third run of the game in the bottom of the second inning.

Western Oregon would respond with a single run in the first inning on a RBI by freshman Alex Frazier to pull within a single run (2-1) before the Wolves exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second inning with the big blow coming via a two-run single up the middle by Clark before Gardner scored on a NCU error and Evola and Clark executed a perfect double steal that put WOU ahead 5-3.

The Wolves would add three more runs in the bottom of the third inning when Radzuik drove in a pair with a single up before Siolo brought her home on a single through the left side that extended WOU's lead to five runs (8-3).

Western Oregon would add single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, as the Wolves took advantage of a NCU error in the fourth before Gardner came home on a sacrifice fly by Evola one inning later to cap WOU's scoring and extend the lead to 10-3.

Northwest Christian would add a run in the top of the seventh inning when Kaeli Massetto registered an infield single that brought home Hoskins for the final margin of six runs (10-4).

Gardner led Western Oregon would three hits, while Radziuk added a pair offensively. Clark and Radziuk would drive in a combined four runs for the Wolves with two RBI each, while Evola, Frazier, and Siolo tallied three other RBI.

Hoskins was the only NCU player with more than one hit, as she was 2-for-4 offensively with one run scored and two runs batted in.

Coach Sargent commented about both teams flipping the switch to a run-scoring battle in Game #2 by saying, "I think that our defense got a little shaky in that game so offensively we stepped up and our kids played really well. We got some key hits when we needed them and that was really crucial."

Western Oregon returns to Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play this weekend beginning on Saturday, March 14, against Simon Fraser University in an afternoon double header that begins at 1:00 p.m. on the WOU Softball Field in Monmouth.

In looking forward to this weekend against Simon Fraser and Western Washington, Coach Sargent said, "I think that we just need some more confidence in our hitting, as our pitchers are doing well and they are going to face some really good hitters this weekend but if our defense can do well and we can match it with offense then we will be able to play well."