ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Head Coach Lonny Sargent became the all-time winningest coach in program history with the win in the first game on Thursday to move to 227 victories. In a pair of games that featured multiple twists and turns, the Western Oregon University softball team ended up splitting with Central Washington again on Thursday. WOU took game one, 12-8, before the Wildcats came back for a 12-7 win in the series finale in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
With the results from Thursday, WOU is now 7-9 in GNAC play and sit a game behind Saint Martin's for the fourth and final spot in the GNAC Championships. Those teams will play each other this Saturday and Sunday in Lacey. The Wolves could also still move up higher in the standings depending on results. Currently, WOU is two games back of Western Washington for third and are even with Central Washington in terms of wins, but the Wildcats have four less losses and have played four less games this season.
The offense broke out in both games as WOU (11-13, 7-9 GNAC) finished the day with 19 runs on 21 hits. In the opener, WOU used a big second inning and a late push in the sixth to take the win.
The Wolves opened the scoring in the first inning with Aleya Turner walking and quickly coming home on a two-run homer to center by Zoie Recolan.
Then in the big second inning, Sydney Bowers opened the frame with a walk. Following an out, Allyson Drury was hit-by-pitch and Kirah McGlothan walked to load the bases. Turner singled to center to plate a run. After Logan Carlos singled to score a run and Recolan hit a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-0, Chandler Bishop capped the big inning with a three-run shot to left on a full count pitch to leave WOU with a commanding 8-0 lead.
CWU (15-12, 7-5 GNAC) wouldn't go away quietly, getting a run in the third and five more in the sixth to lead WOU with just an 8-6 lead.
WOU helped put the game away in the home half of the sixth. Turner opened the frame with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Carlos singled to put runners at the corners. A groundout put runners at second and third for Bishop who singled up the middle for an RBI. A fielder's choice RBI by Bowers moved the lead to 10-6. A wild pitch later brought in Bella Valdes who had a pinch-hit walk earlier in the inning. Isabelle Lewis finished the four-run inning with a ringing double to center to leave WOU with a 12-6 lead.
Those four runs would turn out to be big as CWU answered back with two runs in the seventh before Nicki Derrick recorded the final out for the 12-8 victory.
CWU held a 12-10 edge in hits with Turner, Carlos, Recolan and Bishop all tallying two-hit games for the Wolves. Bishop drove in four runs. In the circle, Bishop started and went the first six innings for the win (1-2) allowing six earned runs. Derrick went the final inning allowing two runs (one earned).
Sydney Brown paced the Wildcats with three hits, while Maddy Zerr drove in three runs. In the circle, Isabel Womack started and went the first 1.1 innings to end up with the loss (3-4) allowing four earned runs. Ashlee Laver and Lexie Strasser also saw time in the circle.
In the series finale, WOU looked to be in good shape having erased an early 3-0 deficit, but the Wildcats scored nine runs over the final two innings to claim the win.
With three runs home for CWU in the first inning, WOU got on the board in the second. Bishop walked and following an out, Bowers singled to put runners on the corners. Both runners would move up on a wild pitch with Bishop scoring. Another wild pitch a few batters later added the second run of the inning when Bowers scored to leave CWU with the 3-2 lead after two.
WOU took their first lead of the game in the fourth. Lewis opened the frame reaching on an error. Bowers quickly made the Wildcats pay with a triple down into the right field corner to score Kiley Lynn who was on to pinch-run. Drury brought home Bowers with a single to left to move WOU to a 4-3 lead. Natalie Willoughby kept the offense going with a single to center. After a sacrifice bunt pushed runners to second and third, Turner singled up the middle to score Drury. WOU still had one more run left in them in the inning when Carlos hit into a fielder's choice to score Willoughby to leave WOU with a 6-3 lead after four.
CWU got the offense going in the sixth. The Wildcats came back with seven runs on seven hits to move in front 10-6. WOU got a run back in the home half with McGlothan doubling with two outs and later scoring on a single to first by Carlos.
The Wildcats added two more in the seventh and in their last at-bat, the Wolves tried to threaten with Lewis and Drury each getting on with singles, but a groundout ended the game with CWU coming back to split the series, 12-7.
CWU held an 18-11 edge in hits with Turner, Carlos, Bowers and Drury leading the Wolves with two hits apiece. Carlos drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, Jada Young started and went the first third of an inning allowing three earned runs. Maddie Mayer went the next 5.1 innings to end up with the loss (3-4) allowing seven earned runs. Erica Soliz finished the final 1.1 innings and allowed two earned runs.
Harlee Carpenter had four hits to lead CWU, while Myiah Seaton had three hits. Alee Cruz drove in three runs. In the circle, Lexie Strasser started and went the first three innings and allowed six runs (four earned). Samantha Stanfield went the final four innings to get the win (4-4) allowing just one earned run.
WOU will have Friday off before facing Saint Martin's in Lacey for a pivotal four-game GNAC series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
