Western Oregon softball will contend in the West Texas A&M Lady Buff Invite in Canyon, Texas from Friday, February 19 to Sunday, February 21. The Wolves will play a double header each day, facing Newman on Friday, West Texas A&M on Saturday, and Lincoln on Sunday.
 
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Click here to follow the live stats. Game updates will also be posted on the Western Oregon Wolves' Twitter page (@WOUWolves) as well as Western Oregon softball's Twitter (@WOUSoftball).
 
LOOKING AT THE WESTERN OREGON WOLVES
The Wolves competed in the Dixie State Tournament last weekend in St. George, Utah. They defeated Western New Mexico, 8-4, and Cal Baptist, 9-0. They fell to Dixie State twice with the first game ending in a 4-1 decision, and the second in a 13-5 result. Western Oregon also took a loss against UH Hilo, 9-2.
 
In the first nine preseason games, sophomore Zoe Clark holds the highest batting average on the team, hitting .429. She currently has three runs and 12 hits. Junior Kelsie Gardner leads the Wolves in runs (9) and hits (13), and she has a batting average of .382. Junior Destiny Kuehl has a .409 batting average, tallying six runs and nine hits. As a freshman, Ryanne Huffman has already recorded five runs and 10 hits with a .323 average. Senior Alyson Boytz and sophomore Lizzet Dominguez have seen the most time on the mound as they have both appeared in seven games, and they each hold a 1-2 record. Boytz has three strikeouts, while Dominguez has seven.
 
LOOKING AT THE NEWMAN JETS
The Jets opened up their season at the Southern Arkansas Tournament in Magnolia. They won two of their matches, and they were unable to score a run in three of their four losses.
 
Sophomore Taylor Mannis leads the Jets with a .353 batting average and six hits as she has also scored two runs. Senior Courtney Sartin tallies three runs and five hits with a .294 batting average. For the pitchers, junior Kate Smith is currently 0-3 this season, recording a 1.84 earned run average and striking out nine batters. Senior Katie Ingles has two wins this season with a 4.32 earned run average, and she has struck out seven batters.
 
LOOKING AT THE WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES
After 10 preseason games in two tournaments, the Buffs are undefeated. West Texas A&M started out with five games at the Dixie State Invitational and hosted the WT Invitational last weekend. In their matches against Colorado State, Chadron State, and Adams State, the Buffs did not allow a single run.
 
Senior Stacey Ramirez holds a .567 batting average, leading the Buffs with 17 runs and 17 hits. Freshman Brittany Cruz also has a high batting average of .538 as she has scored 10 runs and recorded 14 hits. On the mound, sophomore Kilee Halbert has posted four wins, a 2.01 earned run average, and 18 strikeouts. Senior Tori Bayer has three wins, a 2.28 earned run average, and 16 strikeouts, while junior Alexis Alfonso owns the remaining three wins with a 3.62 earned run average and nine strikeouts.
 
LOOKING AT THE LINCOLN BLUE TIGERS
The Blue Tigers are looking for their first win this season after falling in five matches at the Southern Arkansas University Softball Invitational in Magnolia.
 
Freshman Tori Nienhusser possesses the most runs (2) and hits (4) on the team as she has been hitting a .286 average. Juniors Macie Kinsey and Megan Heimbaugh each have three hits and one run this season. Junior Sarah Westhoff and sophomore Madison Ragar each have two losses on the pitcher's mound.
 
UP NEXT
The Wolves will open GNAC play on Saturday, March 5 with a double header against Saint Martin's. First pitches are set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.