TURLOCK, Calif. – Destiny Kuehl went 4 for 7 with a home run and two RBI and six others had at least two hits as the Western Oregon softball team closed out day one at the 2017 Tournament of Champions at Pedretti Sports Complex with a 2-0 record, defeating Holy Names 7-2 and UC San Diego 4-1.
 
The Wolves improved to 12-11 on the year and returns to the TOC on Saturday for two more games – Academy of Art at 9 a.m. followed by a 3 p.m. contest against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
 
GAME ONE – Western Oregon 7, Holy Names 2
After posting only two hits and spotting the Hawks a 2-0 lead after three innings, Zoe Clark tied the game with a two-run single and scored the go-ahead run with a two-out, RBI infield single from Cheyanne Rimer in the top of the fourth.
 
Two more runs came home for WOU in the fifth inning and it began with an Ashlee Lynch two-run single to left scoring Ashley Doyle. Clark added a RBI double to left to put the Wolves up, 5-2.
 
In the sixth, a two-out rally helped by a fielding error at second base that scored Kelsie Gardner later allowed Chandler Bishop to plate Kuehl after a single to center.
 
After being staked to a lead, Haley Fabian allowed just two hits over the final four innings to Holy Names, improving to 5-6 on the season. The sophomore gave up two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out six. Offensively, Clark was 2 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Gardner and Bishop each went 2 for 3 with a run scored.
 
The win was the Wolves' first over the Hawks in the first-ever meeting on the diamond between the two schools.
 
GAME TWO – Western Oregon 4, UC San Diego 1
With a quick turnaround, the Wolves went right into their game with UC San Diego and feel behind in the second inning with a lead-off, solo home run for a 1-0 advantage. Western Oregon found its equalizer in the bottom of the third when Ryanne Huffman singled with two outs and stole second. Kuehl brought her in with a single into right-center for a 1-1 game.
 
Innings four and five were dominating frames from the circle with both teams producing minimal offense.  
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Wolves got all the offense needed to earn the win. Kuehl took the first pitch of the inning and blasted it over the wall in left for a solo home run. With two out, singles from Lynch and pinch-hitter Jenna Kelly set the table for a two-run double from Mercedes Green to plate two insurance runs.
 
UC San Diego did not mount a comeback in the seventh with three straight ground ball outs.
 
Sammi Cadwallader went the distance, allowing one run on four hits and no walks, striking out three. Kuehl was 3 for 3 with two RBI while Lynch was the only other WOU player with a multi-hit game, going 2 for 3.
 
The WOU win was the fourth all-time against UCSD (4-16) and broke a nine-game losing skid to the Tritons dating back to 2013.

NOTES
- Western Oregon won the opening two games at the Tournament of Champions for the second consecutive season.
 
- WOU outhit their opponents for the day, 21-9.