MONMOUTH, Ore.—Entering the day in a dead heat in the GNAC postseason race, Western Oregon and Simon Fraser ended the day in similar fashion as the teams traded shutouts on Saturday.
Western Oregon (25-23, 13-13 GNAC) posted an 8-0 win in the opener before Simon Fraser (17-17, 13-13 GNAC) returned with a 4-0 win in a rain-delayed second game.
With two games remaining, SFU and WOU are joined by Montana State Billings and Saint Martin's for a four-way tie for third place in the GNAC standings. The top four teams will qualify for the GNAC Tournament. In the regular-season finale, the Wolves will host Western Washington (13-30, 7-17 GNAC) on Sunday with a 1 p.m. start. The team will honor its two seniors, Lizzet Dominguez and Zoe Clark before the game.
Game 1: Western Oregon def. Simon Fraser, 8-0 (6 inn.)
The Wolves used three home runs and a one-hitter by pitcher Haley Fabian to take the opening game by an 8-0 score.
After Ryanne Huffman manufactured the opening run on a single and a pair of stolen bases. Moments later in the 1st Chandler Bishop added the tally with a line drive shot over the center-field fence for a 2-0 advantage. Sydney Bowers tagged a homer of her own in the 2nd while Nicole Miller joined the club with a 2-run shot to left in the 7th.
Batting with one out in the 6th, Huffman struck again with an RBI double to score Ayanna Arceneaux. Tyler Creach moved to third on the hit to set up the game-ending mercy-rule run on a SFU wild pitch.
Handed the early lead, Fabian held SFU hitless until the 5th inning en route to the shutout. Fabian's lone hit allowed was a one-out single in the 5th while SFU's only other base runner occurred on an error in the 2nd. Fabian faced two runners over the minimum while striking out one and not allowing a walk.
Game 2: Simon Fraser def. Western Oregon, 4-0
Holding on to a 1-0 lead, Simon Fraser sent three runners home in the top of the 7rh while Alia Stachoski tossed a 2-hitter for the 4-0 win in the late game on Saturday.
Kate Fergusson led SFU at the plate with a 3-for-4 line that included three of the team's RBI. Fergusson singled in the opening run in the 3rd and drove in two more on a single to center in the 7th.
Tyler Creach and Ayanna Arceneaux provided the lone hits against Stachoski. Only two WOU runners reached second base as Stachoski struck out six and walked two in the 7-inning shutout.
