MONMOUTH, Ore. – The weather certainly didn't slow down the Western Oregon University softball team. The Wolves collected 19 runs and allowed just two runs in cruising to a sweep of Montana State Billings by scores of 10-2 and 9-0, both in five innings, in non-conference action on a rainy Saturday at the WOU Softball Field.
The first game ended up taking almost three hours to finish due to a pair of rain delays. WOU (12-5) used a big third inning plating seven runs to pull away. Kirah McGlothan went 3-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Logan Carlos, Zoie Recolan, Natalie Willoughby and Kate Ronning all added hits. Carlos, Willoughby and Doig added RBI. Bella Valdes scored a pair of runs. That was more than enough run support to send Chelsea Smith to her seventh win (7-0) of the season going all five innings and allowing just two runs. She posted nine strikeouts.
Neither team scored in the first inning and the Wolves got on the board in the second. With one out, McGlothan laid down a perfect bunt single. Valdes walked and Carlos was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Doig then hit a sacrifice fly to right to drive in a run and on the throw home, the ball got away from the catcher and allowed a second run to score to give WOU the 2-0 lead after two.
Despite a couple of rain delays alone in the third inning, it didn't stop WOU from scoring seven runs. Willoughby opened the frame launching another home run, a no-doubt shot over the right field fence. Erica Soliz walked and Ronning singled to left to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up, McGlothan singled to left-center for the RBI. A wild pitch scored Ronning and after Valdez battled for a full-count walk, she would steal second before Carlos walked to re-load the bases. A wild pitch brought another run in to move the lead to 6-0. Doig followed with a walk and then all the runners moved up on another wild pitch to score the fifth run of the inning. Recolan walked to re-load the bases and after the second out was recorded, Soliz closed the inning hitting a fly ball to right that was misplayed to allow two more runs to score and leave WOU with the 9-0 lead.
MSUB (6-12) plated their only runs in the fourth inning getting a two-run homer by Marin Penney to leave WOU with the 9-2 lead.
Carlos closed the scoring with an RBI double in the fourth to score McGlothan who doubled earlier in the inning. Smith worked around a walk in the fifth to keep the 'Jackets off the board and provide the final margin of 10-2 in five innings.
WOU outhit MSUB 7-3 and the 'Jackets committed the only three errors in the game. Three players tallied a hit for MSUB and Penney had both RBI. In the circle, Julia Qualteri started and ended up with the loss (4-4) allowing eight runs (six earned) in 4.1 innings. Shelby Martin faced two batters before Jenna Kister went the final 1.2 innings, allowing one earned run.
In game two, a big six-run second inning broke the game open. Carlos remained red-hot with a 3-3 game and drove in four runs, along with scoring a pair of runs. Willoughby tallied two hits, drove in three and scored a pair of runs. Doig, Recolan, Soliz and McGlothan all added hits. That was plenty of run support for Maddie Mayer as she cruised through the lineup tossing the shutout five innings, adding four strikeouts in the process to tally her fourth win (4-1) of the season.
The Wolves scored right away with a run in the first when Soliz singled to score Carlos who doubled to open the inning.
Ronning opened the six-run second inning for the Wolves with a walk. Sophie Franklin was hit-by-pitch and after two outs were recorded, WOU would end up plating all six runs. Carlos ripped a three-run homer off of an 0-2 pitch over the center field fence for the 4-0 lead. Doig followed with a solo shot over the left-center field fence on a 3-1 pitch. Recolan added a single, just in time to score on a two-run homer over the center field fence by Willoughby to push the lead to 7-0.
In the third, WOU pushed the lead to 8-0. Ronning was hit-by-pitch to start the frame and would later come around on a single to shortstop by Carlos for the RBI.
Willoughby capped the big offensive day for the Wolves with what else, another home run in the fourth. After working the count full, Willoughby drilled a shot over the right field fence for the solo homer and the 9-0 lead.
Mayer worked around a couple of baserunners in the fifth when she got a double play to end the game with WOU completing the sweep at 9-0 in five innings.
WOU outhit MSUB 9-2 and the 'Jackets committed the only error in the game. With the wins, WOU improves to 6-0 at home this season.
Morgan Quimby and Shelby Marquardt had the two hits for MSUB, while in the circle, Kister turned right back around and started game two and ended up with the loss (0-3) allowing seven earned runs in 1.2 innings. Alyssa Etheridge went the final 2.1 innings and allowed two runs (one earned).
WOU and MSUB will look to finish their four-game series tomorrow (Sunday) with another doubleheader that has a new start time of 10 a.m.
