IRVINE, Calif. – The offense started right away and came through late to the help the Western Oregon University softball team take the 10-8 win over San Francisco State on the final day of the Concordia Irvine Tournament on Sunday.
WOU (5-2) put together season-high numbers with 10 runs and 18 hits, piling up five runs in the first, two in the fifth and three more in the seventh. Nine players had a hit on the day with Maddie Doig, Kate Ronning and Erica Soliz all coming away with three hit games. Logan Carlos, Zoie Recolan and Kirah McGlothan added two hits apiece. Soliz drove in three runs, while Ronning and Carlos added two RBI. Doig, Baylie Kahele and McKenzie Westphal all drove in a run.
In the circle, Nicki Derrick started and went the first two innings allowing five earned runs. Jada Young tossed the next three innings allowing two earned runs. Maddie Mayer went the final two innings to pick up her third win (3-0) of the week allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts.
The Wolves came out ready from the first pitch plating five runs in the opening frame. Carlos walked and then quickly moved to third on a single by Doig. Following a sacrifice bunt by Recolan put runners at second and third, Natalie Willoughby was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kahele cashed in with a single to left to bring in the first run of the game. After the second out was recorded, Ronning singled through the left side to score Doig. Soliz brought in two runs with a single through the right side for the 4-0 lead. WOU closed the big inning with an RBI single to left by Westphal for the 5-0 lead.
San Francisco State (2-3) came back with two runs in the home half of the first and tied the game up with three more runs in the second.
The Gators took the lead with a run in the third for the 6-5 advantage.
It stayed that way into the fifth when WOU reclaimed the lead. McGlothan opened the frame with a single. Ronning added a single before both moved up on a wild pitch. Soliz walked to load the bases. After a runner was picked off the bases and a sacrifice bunt advanced runners to second and third with two outs, Carlos delivered. On the first pitch, Carlos hit a single to right to score a pair of runs for the 7-6 lead.
The Gators came back to take the lead in the sixth with two runs for the 8-7 lead.
Down to their last at-bat, WOU came out ready in the seventh. McGlothan opened the inning working a full count walk on eight pitches. Ronning wasted little time tying the game doubling on the first pitch to left to score McGlothan. Soliz added an RBI single to right to score Ronning to move WOU back in front. Before the inning was over, the Wolves added another run. With Soliz at third and two outs, Doig ripped a triple down the left field line on a 2-0 pitch to score Soliz for the 10-8 lead.
Mayer then closed the door working around a leadoff walk to get a fly out, ground out and strikeout for the 10-8 victory.
Taya Vincent and Kai Deleon led San Francisco State with two hits each. Deleon drove in three runs. In the circle, Kaitlyn Maddux started and went the first two-thirds of an inning allowing five earned runs. Madeline Eschbach tossed the final 6.1 innings, allowing five earned runs to end up with the loss (1-1). The Gators finished with seven hits and neither team committed an error.
WOU returns home to host Warner Pacific in a doubleheader this Friday starting at 12 p.m. at the WOU Softball Field.
