TUCSON, Ariz. – Trailing 4-0 entering the seventh inning, the Western Oregon University softball team nearly came all the way back before Dixie State held on for the 4-3 win Sunday to conclude the Cactus Classic.
Chandler Bishop and Ashtyn Bauerle matched each other in the circle with neither team able to score over the first four innings. In the fifth, Dixie State (12-2) was able to come through with two runs with two outs to move ahead 2-0.
The Trailblazers then added a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to stretch the lead to 4-0 entering the home half of the seventh.
Down to their last at-bat, WOU (7-5) nearly came all the way back to tie or possibly win. Kiley Lynn opened the frame with a single and after an out, Allyson Drury reached on a fielder's choice to second base to put both runners on. A fielder's choice out on the next play forced a runner at third for the second out, but the game was far from over. Ayanna Arceneaux hit a fly ball to right that was dropped by the right fielder and with everyone moving on the play with two outs, Tyler Creach and Drury each scored on the play, while Arceneaux was able to get all the way to third. Zoie Recolan then brought Arceneaux home with an RBI single to right to trim the deficit to one. Dixie State was able to get out of the inning getting a ground out back to the pitcher to preserve the 4-3 victory.
Dixie State held a 10-6 edge on hits while the teams combined for three errors, two committed by the Trailblazers. Arceneaux led the Wolves with a pair of hits, while Creach, Recolan, Kennedy Coy and Lynn all added hits.
Bishop went the first five innings in the circle and ended up with the loss (2-2) after allowing two runs (one earned). Maddie Mayer tossed the final two innings and allowed two earned runs.
Bauerle picked up the win (2-0) in the circle for the Trailblazers allowing no runs over five innings. Carissa Burgess then went the final two innings to get her first save of the season allowing the three runs that were all unearned. Hannah Hughbanks led Dixie State at the plate with two hits, while eight other players added a hit.
WOU finishes the Cactus Classic going 3-2 as Sunday's matchup was a meeting of two teams that are both receiving votes in the NFCA National Poll.
The Wolves will have the next week off before traveling to Florida on Feb. 28 to compete in the PFX Athletics Tournament beginning with Concordia College-New York at 9:15 a.m. Pacific.
