YAKIMA, Wash. – In its opening game of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championships Thursday at the Gateway Sports Complex, Western Oregon University fell to top-seeded Saint Martin's University, 8-5, to drop into the loser's bracket for the first time since the inaugural tournament two seasons ago.

Western Oregon (21-27) was led offensively by senior Amanda Evola with three hits to go along with a pair of runs scored, while senior Jourdan Williams and sophomore Ku'ulei Siolo each tallied a pair of hits with Williams driving in a team-high two runs. Sophomore Destiny Kuehl, sophomore Lexi Jennings, and freshman Zoe Clark would tally the Wolves' other three hits with Clark scoring two runs for WOU. In the circle, junior Alyson Boytz went the distance allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits to go along with a game-high two strikeouts.

Saint Martin's (41-16) were led at the plate by Mary Dettling and Lindsay Miller with three hits each, while Dani Wall and Paige Miller collected two hits each for the Saints. Taviah Jenkins would drive in a game-high four runs for SMU, while Dettling, Miller, and Jenkins scored a team-high two runs each. GNAC Co-Player and Pitcher of the Year Sam Munger pitched a complete game for Saint Martin's, as she allowed five runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 7.0 innings of work with one K en route to picking up her 23rd victory of the season.

In the bottom of the first inning, Saint Martin's would put three runs on the board on three hits that included a RBI double by Munger, a run-scoring fielder's choice by Jenkins, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Megan Miller to give the Saints an early 3-0 lead.

Western Oregon would pull within two runs (3-1) in the top of the second inning when sophomore Emma Alfonso reached on an error before moving to third on a single by Siolo and then came home on Kuehl's infield single.

Saint Martin's would recapture its three-run lead (4-1) in the bottom of the second inning when Dettling brought home Paige Miller on a single through the left side one batter after Miller led off the inning with a double to left field before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Alyssa Slate.

Neither team would score again until the top of the fifth inning when Western Oregon brought two runners across the plate on four hits, including back-to-back RBI singles by Williams and Jennings that scored Clark and Evola to pull the Wolves within a single run (4-3).

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Saint Martin's would put four more runs on the board on four hits with the highlight coming off the bat of Jenkins' via a bases-loaded double to center field that scored all three runners to give SMU a 7-3 lead. Jenkins would cap Saint Martin's scoring on a Wall single to left field that gave SMU an 8-3 lead heading into the seventh inning.

Western Oregon would attempt a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, as the Wolves would get its first base runner via an error that allowed Clark to reach before a one-out double off the bat of Evola put runners on second and third. Williams would then step to the plate and brought home Clark on a single to left field before another SMU error allowed Evola to score pulling WOU within three runs (8-5). Unfortunately that would be as close as Western Oregon would get, as Saint Martin's would keep Williams at second base on a strikeout and game-ending fly out to left field that helped the Saints move onto the winner's bracket with the three-run victory.

The Wolves will now face No. 2 seed Western Washington University in an elimination game on Friday, May 1, beginning at approximately 4:30 p.m. at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima, Washington. Meanwhile, Saint Martin's moves onto face No. 3 seed Montana State Billings beginning at 2 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday's championship game.