BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Oregon University's softball team remained in the playoff picture with a split against Western Washington University, 5-9 & 8-5, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) play Saturday at Viking Field.

Western Oregon (16-23, 8-6 GNAC) was led offensively by sophomore Destiny Kuehl with a perfect 5-for-5 performance that included scoring four runs and driving in a pair on her second home run of the season, while fellow sophomore Kelsie Gardner added four hits on the afternoon for the Wolves. Senior Jourdan Williams collected three hits in the games, while sophomore Ashley Radziuk, sophomore Emma Alfonso, and sophomore Lexi Jennings each had a combined two hits for WOU.

Junior Alyson Boytz got the start in Game #1 for Western Oregon, as she allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in 5.2 innings of work before turning the ball over to sophomore Sammi Cadwallader for the final out in the opener. Williams would go the distance for WOU in the finale, as she allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits en route to picking up her fifth win of the season.

Western Washington (22-16, 11-7 GNAC) was led offensively by Kali Patterson and Arianna Barrio with a combined three hits each, while Autumn Isaacson, Alicia Fine, and Alexie Levin each registered two hits on the afternoon. Fine and Levin led the Vikings with three RBI each, while each added a home run to their totals for the season.

Makinlee Sellevold would go the distance in Game #1, as she allowed five earned runs on eight hits to go along with game-high three strikeouts en route to collecting her team-leading 17th victory of the season. Game #2 would see WWU start Shayna Adelstein for the first 5.0 innings, as she allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits before turning the ball over to Aspen Ison for the final 2.0 innings.

GAME #1 — WESTERN WASHINGTON 9, WESTERN OREGON 5

Saturday's opener would see Western Washington get on the board first, as the Vikings put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run single down the right field line by Emily Benson that scored both Patterson and Fine to give the Vikings an early 2-0 lead.

Neither team would score again until the top of the fifth inning when Gardner tied the game at 2-2 with her third home run of the season over the left field fence that also scored Kuehl following her one-out single. A double by Williams would give the Wolves a 3-2 lead before Jennings connected on her team-leading four home run of the season that also brought home Williams and gave WOU a 5-2 lead.

Unfortunately, Western Oregon would not hold the lead long as Western Washington added five runs to its total in the bottom of the fifth inning that included a three-run home run by Levin that turned out to be the game-winning runs as the Vikings earned a 7-5 lead after five innings of play.

Western Washington would add its final two runs of Game #1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Patterson and Fine registered run-scoring hits for the final tally of 9-5 in favor of the home team.

Gardner, Williams, and Kuehl each collected two hits for Western Oregon, while Gardner and Jennings registered a pair of RBI each for the Wolves.

Patterson was a perfect 3-for-3 for Western Washington with a pair of RBI, while Barrio collected two hits and Levin drove in a game-high three runs.

GAME #2 — WESTERN OREGON 8, WESTERN WASHINGTON 5

The finale on Saturday would begin with Western Oregon scoring first, as the Wolves put two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning on RBI singles by Williams and Jennings that handed WOU an early 2-0 lead.

Western Washington would waste little time in tying the game at 2-2, as the Vikings took advantage of two WOU errors that allowed Isaacson and Patterson to score.

In the top of the second inning, Western Oregon would retake the lead (5-2) thanks to three runs that crossed the plate via a two-run single by Alfonso and a WWU error that allowed Alfonso to score two batters later.

Western Oregon would add another run in the top of the fourth inning when Alfonso drove in her third run of the game that allowed Kuehl to score following her lead off single, as the Wolves increased their lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Western Washington plated two runs on a RBI double by Barrio and a sacrifice fly by Isaacson as the Vikings pulled within two runs (6-4).

One inning later, WWU added its fifth and final run of the game when Sarah Morrow scored on a pass ball that pulled the Vikings within a single run (6-5).

Western Oregon would put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning when Kuehl belted a two-run home run over the left field fence that also scored freshman Amy Anderson and handed the Wolves an 8-5 lead that they would not relinquish.

Kuehl was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for Western Oregon, while Gardner, Alfonso, and Radziuk each collected two hits for the Wolves with Alfonso driving in a game-high three runs.

Seven different players collected a hit for Western Washington, as Isaacson, Fine, and Barrio each had a RBI for the Vikings.

Western Oregon returns to action tomorrow – Sunday, April 12 – with a GNAC double header against Simon Fraser University beginning at 1 PM in Burnaby, British Columbia.