BURNABY, B.C. – Following a tough loss in the first game of the day for the Western Oregon University softball team against Simon Fraser on Saturday, the Wolves looked to be in good shape in game two. Holding a 7-4 lead in the seventh, Simon Fraser rallied with three runs in their final at-bat to send the game into extra innings before claiming the 9-7 win in eight innings. Simon Fraser also won the opener by a score of 5-3 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference openers for both teams.
WOU (13-10, 0-2 GNAC) received a strong start from Maddie Mayer in the first game. Mayer limited Simon Fraser (7-6, 2-0 GNAC) to no runs over the first three innings and ended up allowing just two earned runs to end up with the loss (4-3). She didn't allow a walk and tallied two strikeouts.
The Wolves opened the scoring in the fourth. Erica Soliz opened the frame with a single up the middle. Kate Ronning followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Kirah McGlothan kept the hits coming with a single to load the bases. WOU tried to score on a wild pitch, but Soliz was thrown out at home for the first out. Sophie Franklin made sure the Wolves would be the first on the scoreboard when she hit a two-run double to left for the 2-0 lead.
Simon Fraser answered in the home half of the inning. SFU took advantage of a passed ball and an error to eventually score three unearned runs in the inning for the 3-2 lead.
WOU came right back in the fifth to tie the game up. Logan Carlos opened the inning with a single and later moved to second on a single up the middle by Zoie Recolan. Soliz drove in the tying run with another single up the middle to score Carlos for the 3-3 tie.
Simon Fraser took the lead for good in the home half of the fifth. A two-run homer by Hanna Finkelstein pushed SFU back in front at 5-3.
WOU got a runner on in the sixth when Franklin began the inning with a single, but was left stranded at second. The Wolves then applied more pressure in the seventh. Recolan walked and then a fielding error put runners at first and second. A line out and a fly out followed to end the game with SFU taking the opener, 5-3.
WOU held the 10-9 edge in hits while the teams combined for four errors, three committed by Simon Fraser.
Recolan, Soliz, McGlothan and Franklin all had two hits to lead the Wolves. Franklin drove in a pair of runs.
Finkelstein and Caitlin Zagari led Simon Fraser with two hits, while Finkelstein had two RBI and two runs scored. In the circle, Anissa Zacharczuk went all seven innings for the complete game win (5-3), allowing three earned runs.
The second game featured plenty of offense right out of the gate. Carlos got things started with a leadoff homer to center. Maddie Doig singled and after a fielder's choice out marked the second out, Soliz singled. After a double-steal by Recolan, who reached on the fielder's choice, and Soliz put runners at second and third, McGlothan cashed in with a clutch two-out two-run double for the 3-0 lead.
Simon Fraser came right back in the home half, picking up three runs on two hits and an error to tie the game at 3-3.
The Wolves kept the offense rolling in the second. Maddie Tomasetti opened the inning working a walk. After stealing second, Carlos ripped a double to right to bring in Tomasetti to regain the lead. Doig added an RBI single to right to bring home Carlos. Following singles by both Recolan and Soliz loaded the bases, a fielder's choice out marked the second out. McGlothan once again had the clutch two-out hit when she laced a double to left-center for two more RBI and a 7-3 lead.
It remained 7-3 into the bottom of the third when Simon Fraser pushed across a run to leave WOU with the 7-4 lead.
Reilly Tidwell worked out of a jam in the fifth getting around a pair of walks and a single to leave two runners stranded. Then in the sixth, Tidwell picked up a trio of fly outs around a walk to keep WOU ahead 7-4 entering the seventh.
Simon Fraser then put together a rally in the seventh getting a solo home run by Janique Balcaen and later a tying two-run shot by Zagari tied the game at seven. Chelsea Smith was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout and line out to send the game into extra innings.
Tomasetti tallied a single in the top of the eighth, but was just thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. In the home half of the inning, Simon Fraser walked it off. Finkelstein doubled to center and then Chelsea Hotner hit the walk-off two run homer to right to give SFU the 9-7 win in eight innings.
Simon Fraser held the 12-10 edge in hits, while WOU committed the only two errors in the game. Carlos, Doig, Soliz and McGlothan all had two-hit games in game two. Carlos, Soliz and Recolan each scored two runs, while McGlothan drove in four and Carlos added a pair of RBI. In the circle, Tidwell went the first six innings to end up with the no decision, allowing four runs (three earned), along with three strikeouts. Smith went the final inning-plus, allowing five earned runs to take just her second loss (7-2) of the season.
Balcaen, Finkelstein, Hotner and Zagari led Simon Fraser with two hits apiece. Balcaen scored a trio of runs. Hotner posted three RBI and Zagari added two RBI. In the circle, Julia Hansen started and went the first two innings, ending up with the no decision allowing seven earned runs. Shan Hollingworth went the final six innings to get the win (1-0) allowing no runs.
WOU and Simon Fraser will look to complete their four-game series on Sunday with another doubleheader starting at noon.
