SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Western Oregon University's softball team took advantage of the long ball in Game #2 en route to earning an afternoon split with San Francisco State University, as the Wolves dropped the opener, 3-0, before coming back to earn a 9-5 victory in the finale Wednesday at the SFSU Softball Field.

For Western Oregon (11-15), senior Amanda Evola led the Wolves' offense with a 5-for-7 performance in the two games that included three runs scored, three runs batted in, and her team-high tying third home run of the season in Game #2. Along with Evola, four other WOU players – senior Jourdan Williams, sophomore Kelsie Gardner, sophomore Ku'ulei Siolo, and sophomore Emma Alfonso – each collected multiple hits with Gardner going a combined 4-for-8 with a pair of runs scored coupled with Siolo's 2-for-3 performance in the finale that included her first home run as a Wolf.

In the circle, junior Alyson Boytz went the distance in Game #1 allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits to go along with a game-high tying one strikeout. The duo of sophomore Sammi Cadwallader and freshman Lizzet Dominguez combined to allow five earned runs on 11 hits in Game #2, as Cadwallader went the opening 5.1 innings before turning the ball over to Dominguez for the final five outs. Cadwallader would allow two earned runs on eight hits with a team-high two strikeouts before Dominguez allowed three earned runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work.

For San Francisco State (7-21), Selina Rodriguez and Jennifer Lewis each went a combined 4-for-7 in the double header with Lewis scoring a pair of runs and driving in a team-high four RBI that included a three-run home run in Game #2. Five other Gators – Chelsea Brent, Lucy Fernandez, Marisa Andrade, Aryn Guzman, and Sara Higa – all collected multiple hits for SFSU in the two games.

GAME #1 — SAN FRANCISCO STATE 3, WESTERN OREGON 0

In Wednesday's opener, San Francisco State would take advantage of single runs early as the Gators scored in the bottom of the first and second innings on an unearned run via a Western Oregon error before Rodriguez ripped a double to right center allowing Andrade to score pushing SFSU's lead to 2-0.

Western Oregon had a chance to get on the board in the top of the third inning when freshman Amy Anderson led off with a single down the left field line before moving to second on a bunt single by Gardner. Following a sacrifice bunt by freshman Zoe Clark that put runners on second and third with one out, San Franciso State stepped up the defense halting the Wolves' scoring chance with a strikeout before an inning-ending ground out with keep WOU off the board.

Over the next four combined at-bats, both teams mustered only two hits until the bottom of the fifth inning when San Francisco State got back-to-back singles by Rodriguez and Brent before the two runners moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch. After a pop out to second base, SFSU's Lewis laid down a perfectly placed bunt that allowed Rodriguez to score without an out being recorded as the Gators expanded their lead to three runs (3-0).

In the top of the sixth inning, Western Oregon would get a one-out single by Evola but could not capitalize.

The Wolves would get one final chance in the top of the seventh inning when Alfonso led off with a single up the middle before Gardner singled to right field two batters later putting runners on first and second with two outs. Unfortunately, San Francisco State's defense would step up one final time getting a game-ending fly out to center field resulting in the Gators' 3-0 victory in the opener.

Gardner led Western Oregon's offense with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, while Alfonso collected two hits for the Wolves.

San Francisco State was led offensively by Rodriguez with three hits, as Brent added two more for the Gators. In the circle, Megan Clark went the distance en route to registering her second shutout of the season despite allowing eight hits to go along with a game-high tying one strikeout.

GAME #2 — WESTERN OREGON 9, SAN FRANCISCO STATE 5

In the finale, San Francisco State would take an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly to right field by Higa that brought home Lewis after she led off the at-bat with a double to left center before moving to third on a single up the middle by Fernandez.

Western Oregon would waste little time in taking its first lead of the afternoon, as Evola belted a two-run home run over the right field fence in the top of the third inning that also scored Gardner after she reached on a fielder's choice one batter earlier.

The Wolves would add single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, as Western Oregon held a 4-1 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth inning, WOU erupted for five runs on three hits that included Siolo's aforementioned three-run home run over the left field fence that extended the Wolves' lead to 9-1. Along with Siolo's round-tripper, Evola and Alfonso also registered RBI on a fielder's choice by Alfonso before Evola drove in her third run of the afternoon via a run-scoring single to right field.

San Francisco State would not go down without a fight though, as the Gators avoided the mercy-rule with a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI single to center field by Andrade before adding three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on Lewis' second home run of the season that accounted for the game's final runs as Western Oregon escaped with a 9-5 victory.

Evola was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in Game #2 for Western Oregon with three runs scored and three RBI, while Siolo was 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI. Gardner, Williams, and Clark each added a hit to round out the Wolves' nine-hit performance in the finale.

Lewis led SFSU with a 3-for-4 performance that included three runs scored and three RBI, while Higa and Andrade each collected two hits for the Gators. In the circle, San Francisco State used four pitchers – Guzman, Jenny Obbema, Courtney Dunkel, and Lindsey Cassidy – who combined to allow nine earned runs on nine hits with Guzman registering a game-high five K's for SFSU.

Western Oregon will return to action this weekend at the 14th Annual Tournament of Champions presented by Turlock Convention & Visitors Bureau beginning on Friday, March 27, against No. 20-ranked Sonoma State University starting at 12:15 p.m. at the Turlock Sports Complex Fields in Turlock, California.