BURNABY, B.C. – Following a pair of close games on Saturday, the Western Oregon University softball team concluded their series in Canada on Sunday with Simon Fraser taking the final two games of the series by scores of 11-2 in five innings and then a 6-5 win in eight innings in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.
The offense tallied 21 hits on the day, including 14 in the nightcap. WOU (13-12, 0-4 GNAC) started strong in the first game of the day plating two runs in the opening inning. Logan Carlos walked and moved to second on a groundout. After another out was recorded, Erica Soliz ripped a double to right for the RBI to bring in Carlos. Soliz then moved to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a double to right-center by Kate Ronning to take the early 2-0 lead.
Simon Fraser (9-6, 4-0 GNAC) answered with a big bottom of the first coming away with 10 runs on eight hits to open up a 10-2 lead.
SFU closed the scoring with another run in the third to take the 11-2 win in five innings. The Wolves had a runner on over the final three innings, but weren't able to push across a run.
Zoie Recolan and Ronning led the offense with two hits. In the circle, Soliz started and ended up with the loss (0-2) allowing 8 runs (seven earned). Maddie Mayer pitched the final 3.2 innings and allowed just three runs (two earned), while adding five strikeouts.
Alex Ogg led SFU with three hits, while Hanna Finkelstein had two hits and two runs scored. Both Ogg and Finkelstein drove in two runs apiece. In the circle, Anissa Zacharczuk went all five innings for the complete game (6-3) win, allowing two earned runs.
SFU held the 12-7 edge in hits and WOU committed the only error.
In the nightcap and series finale, the offense was firing for both teams with a combined 27 hits, 14 by the Wolves. There were five combined errors, three committed by the Wolves.
The long ball got WOU going right away in the first inning. Carlos launched a full-count pitch over the center field fence for another leadoff homer. Ronning followed with a single and later moved to third before scoring on another home run, this time by Kirah McGlothan when she connected on the first pitch and hit it over the center field wall for the a two-run shot and a 3-0 lead.
WOU expanded the lead to 4-0 with a run in the third. Recolan singled and later stole second. McGlothan laid down a perfect bunt that went for a single and put runners at the corners. Sophie Franklin came through with the RBI hit when she singled on the first pitch to left to move WOU out to the 4-0 lead.
Reilly Tidwell kept Simon Fraser off the scoreboard through the first three innings. SFU broke through with two runs in the fourth to cut the lead in half.
WOU looked to add to the lead in the fifth. Recolan began the frame with a single. After a fielder's choice forced Recolan out at second and moved Maddie Brandner to first, she would move to second on a wild pitch. McGlothan walked and then a fielding error by the shortstop on a ball put in play by Franklin loaded the bases. SFU was able to work out of the bases loaded situation getting a fielder's choice back to the pitcher and then a line out to right to keep the lead at 4-2.
Simon Fraser answered in the home half to take their first lead of the game, scoring three runs for the 5-4 lead after five.
WOU rallied in the seventh to nearly take the lead. With one out, McGlothan hit a solid single to center and then Franklin ripped a double to left-center to put runners at second and third. Maddie Doig hit a shot to third that was misplayed and allowed the tying run to score. The Wolves nearly took the lead on the next at-bat when Maddie Tomasetti hit a grounder to short and on the play at home, Franklin was close to being safe, but was called out to keep the game tied at five.
After Maddie Mayer kept SFU off the board in the seventh, the game moved to extra innings for the second time in the series. In the bottom of the eighth, a leadoff bunt single and steal of second later turned into the winning run when Finkelstein singled to right to give Simon Fraser their second walk-off win of the weekend with the 6-5 win in eight innings.
Ronning and McGlothan led the way for the Wolves with three hits apiece. Carlos, Recolan and Franklin all added two hits. McGlothan scored a pair of runs and also drove in two runs. In the circle, Tidwell started and went the first 4.1 innings to end up with the no decision, allowing five runs (four earned) along with three strikeouts. Mayer went the final three innings to end up with the loss (4-4), allowing just one earned runs with three strikeouts.
Ogg led SFU with three hits, while Chelsea Hotner, Caitlin Zagari and Rebecca Kirkpatrick tallied two hits. Kirkpatrick added two RBI. In the circle, Shan Hollingworth picked up her second win (2-0) of the weekend going all eight innings, allowing five runs (four earned).
WOU will now return home for the next two GNAC series when they will host Montana State Billings for the second time this season on Saturday starting at 12 p.m. and on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. at the WOU Softball Field. The Wolves will then stay home for the week after to host Saint Martin's on Mar. 26-27.
