WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – After having a walk-off hit against them to finish the day Saturday, the Western Oregon University softball team capped the final day of the PFX Tournament opening the day with a walk-off win over Wilmington in eight innings, 3-2. The Wolves then fell in the final game of the trip to Adelphi, 10-2.
Scoring was hard to come by for either team in the opener, as Wilmington held an 11-5 edge in hits and opened the scoring with a run in the first on an error.
It would stay that way into the fifth when Sydney Bowers launched a home run to center field to even the score at one. Wilmington (0-1) tried to steal home and a possible win in the seventh when the Wildcats tried to do a double-steal of second and home, but the runner coming home was thrown out keeping the game tied.
WOU (10-8) had a chance to walk it off in the home half and Bowers singled with one out before a pair of outs followed to send the game into the eighth. Playing with the tournament rules of placing a runner on second to start the frame, Wilmington was able to get a two out single to push ahead 2-1.
In the home half, Ayanna Arceneaux came through with the clutch hit. With one out, Kennedy Coy singled to left and following an out, Arceneaux delivered the big two out game winning hit when her double went down into the left field corner and allowed both runners to score for the walk-off victory.
Bowers led the offense with a pair of hits, while Coy, Tyler Creach and Arceneaux all added hits. Carrion led Wilmington with a 3-4 game, while two other players added multi-hit games.
In the circle, Maddie Mayer went all eight innings for WOU to get her fifth (5-2) win of the season, allowing just two unearned runs. She added six strikeouts. Downin went all 7.2 innings for Wilmington to take the loss (0-1) allowing three runs, two earned.
In the second game, WOU came back to tie the game at one in the second and were trailing just 2-1 entering the fifth when the Panthers (1-1) plated five in the inning and three more in the sixth to take the 10-2 win in six innings.
Adelphi got the offense going first with a run in the opening inning. WOU came back to tie in the second as Bowers opened the inning with a walk. Then following a pair of passed balls, Bowers scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at one.
After the Panthers took the lead with a run in the second, it would remain 2-1 until the fifth inning when Adelphi scored the fine runs on five hits to take a 7-1 lead.
Bowers closed the scoring for the Wolves in the sixth when she hit a leadoff home run to leave Adelphi with a 7-2 lead. The Panthers then closed the game with three in the sixth for the walk-off victory.
Hits were close with Adelphi holding a 9-7 edge with Coy leading the way with two hits. Creach, Arceneaux, Kiley Lynn, Bowers and Baylie Kahele all added hits. Allie Laird and Amanda Owens led Adelphi with two hits apiece. Abbey Fortin and Elisabeth Berard drove in two runs each.
In the circle, Reilly Tidwell started and went the first 4.2 innings to end up with the loss (4-3) after allowing seven earned runs. She also added two strikeouts. Chandler Bishop went the final inning and allowed three runs (one earned), along with a strikeout. Nicole Mengel went the distance for Adelphi getting her first win (1-0) of the season allowing two runs, one earned.
WOU finished the PFX Tournament with a 3-3 record and will now prepare to open Great Northwest Athletic Conference action this coming Saturday, Mar. 7 when the Wolves will play at Saint Martin's with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. in Lacey, Wash.
