TURLOCK, Calif. – In a scoreless game through the first three innings, Sonoma State was able to piece together runs in three consecutive innings to get past the Western Oregon University softball team by a score of 4-1 on Sunday morning to close out the Tournament of Champions.
Chelsea Smith and Camille Rodriguez battled it out in the circle to keep the game 0-0 into the fourth. Smith worked around an early jam in the first stranding a pair of runners. Then in the third, Sonoma State (26-14) threatened again with the bases loaded before Smith tallied a strikeout to end the inning.
The Seawolves used three hits to plate a run in the fourth for the 1-0 lead.
WOU (19-19) looked to answered back in the fifth when Sophie Franklin doubled and moved to third, before a groundout ended the inning.
Sonoma State then expanded the lead in the home half collecting two runs on two hits, along with an error for the 3-0 lead.
The Wolves got on the board in the sixth and looked to add more. Bella Valdes walked to open the frame and after an out, moved to second on a single by Kate Ronning. A fielder's choice out marked the second out before Natalie Willoughby singled to load the bases. Franklin continued her strong day at the plate with a single to right for the RBI. Rodriguez was able to get Sonoma State out of the inning with a pop out to first to keep the lead at 3-1.
The Seawolves closed the scoring in the home half of the sixth getting a run on two hits for the 4-1 lead. WOU wasn't able to get a seventh inning rally together with Rodriguez working a 1-2-3 inning to end the game at 4-1.
Sonoma State held the 8-4 edge in hits and WOU had the only two errors of the game. Franklin had a pair of hits and an RBI to lead the way. Smith started in the circle and ended up with the loss (9-4) allowing three earned runs with eight strikeouts in five innings. Nicki Derrick tossed the final inning and allowed a run with a strikeout.
Reagan Hunt led Sonoma State with three hits and two RBI. Rodriguez went all seven innings in the circle for the complete game win (11-4) allowing just the one earned run with seven strikeouts.
WOU will have the coming week off before returning to action in GNAC play on Apr. 15-16 at Northwest Nazarene.
