BILLINGS, Mont. – The offense collected 15 runs off 23 hits to help lead the Western Oregon University softball team to a split to open the series at Montana State Billings on Saturday. The Wolves took the opener 10-7 and then the Yellowjackets came back for the 10-5 win in the nightcap in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.
WOU (9-9, 5-5 GNAC) came out swinging right away in the first inning in game one. Bella Valdes worked a full-count walk and moved to second when Kiley Lynn reached on an error. Both would move up on a wild pitch and Chandler Bishop brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center. Erica Soliz followed with a single to right-center to score Lynn for a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, another error would prove costly prolonging the inning for Allyson Drury who walked on four pitches for the bases-loaded RBI and a 3-0 lead.
Montana State Billings (7-19, 3-7 GNAC) answered back with a run in the home half. In the second, Bishop got the inning going with a two-out walk. That helped ignite a big two-out rally with Soliz singling to put runners at the corners. Kirah McGlothan drove in the first run of the inning with a single back to the pitcher. Sydney Bowers singled on the first pitch to load the bases. Bailey Kahele delivered with a single up the middle on a 3-1 pitch to score a pair of runs and push the lead to 6-1.
The Yellowjackets tallied a run in the fourth, but WOU came right back with a big fifth inning. Aleya Turner singled and Valdes followed with a single as both runners moved up on an error by the second baseman. Lynn grounded out to bring in Turner with the RBI. Bishop came through with a big splash to end the inning when she launched a two-run homer down the left field line to move WOU to a 9-2 advantage.
MSU Billings refused to go away. In the home half of the fifth, the 'Jackets came right back with five runs to trim the deficit to two at 9-7.
Mariah Hyre got a run back in the sixth when she hit a solo home run to center.
In the bottom of the seventh, MSU Billings made things interesting. With the bases loaded and two outs, Nicki Derrick was able to get a pop out to second to end the game leaving WOU with the 10-7 victory.
WOU held a 13-9 edge in hits with Soliz and Bowers tallying two-hit games. Bishop drove in three and Kahele added two RBI. In the circle, Maddie Mayer started and went the first five innings to collect her second win (2-3) of the season after allowing seven earned runs. Derrick worked a solid final two innings to get her first save of the season, collecting three strikeouts and didn't allow a run.
Morgan Quimby, Brittanee Fisher and Allie Hughes led the 'Jackets with two hits apiece. Hughes drove in three runs. In the circle, Alyssa Etheridge went the first 1.2 innings to end up with the loss (2-5) allowing six runs (four earned). Jenna Kister went the final 5.1 innings and allowed four earned runs.
In game two, WOU again jumped out to an early lead. Bishop continued her hot hitting and home run stretch when she connected on a solo homer to center in the first inning.
Bowers opened the second inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Drury singled to center for an RBI and a 2-0 lead. Turner capped the inning with an RBI single to the shortstop that scored Drury for a 3-0 advantage.
MSU Billings came back with two runs in the home half of the second to leave WOU with a 3-2 lead.
The 'Jackets took the lead in the third plating four runs for a 6-3 lead. They would add three more runs in the fourth to push the lead to 9-3.
After MSU Billings scored another run in the sixth to move ahead 10-3, WOU got the offense going again in the seventh. Drury began the inning with a solo homer to center. Logan Carlos singled to right-center and quickly moved to third on a double down the right field line by Turner. Lynn singled to the shortstop to score Carlos and leave WOU down five. MSU Billings was able to avoid any further damage getting the final three outs in the next four at-bats to claim the win.
MSU Billings held a 15-10 edge in hits with Turner, Bowers and Drury leading the Wolves with two hits. Drury drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, Reilly Tidwell went the first 2.1 innings to end up with the loss (2-3) allowing six runs (five earned). Soliz went the final 3.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned).
Marin Penney and Sidney Pollard led MSU Billings with three hits apiece. Pollard drove in three runs. In the circle, Julia Qualteri started and went all seven innings to end up with the loss (3-6) allowing five earned runs.
WOU and MSU Billings will conclude their four-game series tomorrow (Sunday) with another doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. (Pacific).
