TURLOCK, Calif. – The Western Oregon University softball team will take a break from conference play this week to face regional competition at the Tournament of Champions in California this Friday through Sunday hosted by Stanislaus State.
The Wolves will play two games both Friday and Saturday and then a single game Sunday. WOU will play Dominican (CA) first at 11:30 a.m. and then Cal State Monterey Bay to close the day on Friday at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, WOU faces Concordia-Irvine at 9 a.m. and then against Academy of Art later in the day at 4:30 p.m. To close the tournament, WOU will play Sonoma State on Sunday at 10 a.m.
WOU is 17-16 overall on the season and are coming off of a four-game split against Saint Martin's this past weekend. The Wolves are 7-12 away from home this season, going 4-3 in neutral site games.
While the offense has been steady throughout the season, the pitching was big this past weekend in holding Saint Martin's to a .175 batting average and 10 runs.
Logan Carlos continued her strong season and is hitting .422 on the year with 49 hits, 27 runs, eight home runs, seven doubles, five triples and 30 RBI. She adds 13 walks on the year. Carlos connected on her eighth home run of the season this past weekend in helping lead WOU to the game three win. Zoie Recolan is hitting .380 with 35 hits, 13 runs, nine doubles, a triple, a home run and 13 RBI. She also has 13 walks on the year and is 3-3 in stolen bases. Natalie Willoughby is hitting .372 with 32 hits, 27 runs, 10 home runs, nine doubles and 29 RBI. Willoughby also has 13 walks on the year. Kirah McGlothan is hitting .330 with 31 hits, 21 runs, seven doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI. She has 11 walks and is 3-3 in stolen bases. Maddie Doig is also over .300 on the season hitting .323 with 30 hits, 17 runs, five doubles, two home runs, a triple and seven RBI. Erica Soliz gives the Wolves six hitting over .300 at .367 with 18 hits in 49 at-bats, along with six runs, four doubles and 14 RBI. Kate Ronning is close to hitting .300 at .297 on the season with 27 hits, 19 runs, four doubles and 11 RBI. She also has 13 walks. Bella Valdes adds 14 hits, seven RBI, 12 walks and is 3-3 in stolen bases, along with 14 runs scored.
Chelsea Smith leads the team in wins with eight going 8-3 on the year in 60.2 innings. She holds a 3.81 ERA, coming away with 65 strikeouts and six complete games, along with a pair of shutouts. Maddie Mayer is second on the team in wins with five going 5-6 on the season with a 3.33 ERA in 67.1 innings. She has 49 strikeouts on the season. Reilly Tidwell is 3-3 on the season and leads the team with a 3.03 ERA in 57.2 innings and has 42 strikeouts. Nicki Derrick holds a 4.28 ERA in 18 innings, picking up a win and a save on the season. Jada Young has also thrown in 10 innings this season.
Carlos is among the leaders in several categories including leading the GNAC in hits (10th nationally), RBI (57th nationally), total bases (8th nationally), triples (10th nationally) and triples per game (30th nationally). Carlos is third in the GNAC in batting average, second and 31st nationally in home runs, fourth in home runs per game, fifth in on-base percentage, and second (57th nationally) in slugging percentage.
Willoughby leads the GNAC in home runs (13th nationally) and home runs per game (21st nationally). Willoughby is fourth in the GNAC in doubles, second in the GNAC in RBI, third in the GNAC in RBI per game, sixth in the GNAC in runs per game, and second (35th nationally) in total bases.
Mayer and Smith are tied for third in the GNAC in complete games. Mayer and Tidwell are tied for eighth in the GNAC in games started. Mayer is sixth in the GNAC in pitching appearances. Smith is third in the GNAC in strikeouts per seven innings and fourth in the GNAC in WHIP. Recolan is fourth in the GNAC in doubles.
Dominican (CA) is 12-23 overall and have lost their past four games against Cal State Monterey Bay and Academy of Art. Lauren Lapinid leads the team with a .306 average, tallying 11 RBI. Alicia Garcia is hitting .274 with three home runs and 12 RBI. Shelby Keltner has a 1.62 ERA in 125.1 innings, picking up seven wins and three saves. Rosa Leguria has two wins on the season in 50.2 innings and Kathryn Caravalho adds three wins in 63.2 innings.
WOU is 2-1 against Dominican (CA) singe 2012, winning the first two meetings while the Penguins won the most recent meeting in 2018. All three meetings took place during the Tournament of Champions.
Cal State Monterey Bay is 21-10 on the season having won their past seven games picking up a win against Sonoma State, two against Dominican (CA) and four against Cal Poly Humboldt. Haylee Clay hit .421 with 16 RBI. Jessica Cross is hitting .391 with 10 RBI. Ally Alcayaga is hitting .363 with four home runs and 16 RBI. Oli Perez has five home runs and 19 RBI. Cassie Gasper holds a 0.95 ERA in 59 innings and is 5-4 on the season. Jensen Main has tossed 110 innings, going 13-5 with a 1.34 ERA.
Cal State Monterey Bay is 12-5 against WOU since 2006, with the Wolves winning the last meeting in Las Vegas in 2019.
On Saturday, WOU opens the day facing undefeated Concordia-Irvine. The Eagles are 32-0 on the season and will play four games against Hawaii Pacific before the Tournament of Champions.
Megan Massa leads the way hitting .461 with 15 doubles, a home run and 13 RBI. Sydney Sprinkle is hitting .391 with four home runs and 30 RBI. Missy Nemeth is hitting .365 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Rylie Rohr adds a .330 average with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Cortney Koelmans is 7-0 in 49.1 innings, posting a 0.57 ERA. Katlin Entrup is 11-0 in 68 innings with a 0.82 ERA. Erika Morris also has a below one ERA at 0.90 in 54.2 innings and is 8-0 on the season.
Concordia-Irvine is 2-0 against the Wolves since 2018.
Academy of Art is 4-28 overall, but won their past two games against Dominican (CA). Haley Randall leads the Knights with a .330 average, coming away with five RBI. Lauryn Henderson is hitting .289 with 13 RBI. Katie Humphreys tallies 14 RBI. In the circle, Jolene Rhoades leads the team with a 5.77 ERA in 83.2 innings, going 3-13. Julia Jordan has the other win for Academy of Art.
WOU is 3-1 against Academy of Art since 2012, winning the past two meetings that were both at the Tournament of Champions.
The Wolves will then close the tournament with Sonoma State on Sunday. The Seawolves are 22-13 on the season and have won eight straight including sweeps of Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Humboldt.
Anna Zoia-Buescher leads the team hitting .400 with two home runs and 18 RBI. Jordyn Martinez is hitting .371 with three home runs and 30 RBI. Giana Hays adds a .356 average with 11 doubles, three home runs and 21 RBI. In the circle, Camille Rodriguez leads the way with a 1.64 ERA in 85.1 innings and is 10-4. Jesse DuPuis adds an 8-1 record in 76.1 innings with a 2.20 ERA.
Sonoma State holds a slight 13-12 series record against WOU since 2003. The Wolves won the last meeting in 2020 in Las Vegas.
The Tournament of Champions website with all of the information for the tournament can be found here.
