TURLOCK, Calif. --- The Western Oregon softball team dropped a pair of one run games Sunday to close out action at the Tournament of Champions, losing to CSU San Bernardino 3-2 in eight innings before falling to CSU Dominguez Hills 1-0.
In the first game, WOU (15-12) trailed 1-0 heading into the sixth inning before
Kate Ronning opened the frame with a single.
Chelby Smalley sacrificed her to second and on a ball hit by
Maddie Doig, CSUSB (15-12) made a throwing error to score Ronning and tie the game.
The game went to extras - where the international tiebreaker is instantly implemented in this event, putting a runner on second to start the inning. The Coyotes in the top of the eighth had two on with two outs before getting a two-out, two-run single to make it 3-1. In WOU's half of the inning, Ronning sacrificed
Victoria Zimmerman to third and Smalley followed with an RBI groundout to make it 3-2 as that's as close as the Wolves got as the next hitter lined out with the bases empty to end the game.
Freshman
Alivia Holden pitched well, but took the loss - going all eight innings and giving up one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks to lower her ERA to 1.24 on the season. Doig finished with two of the Wolves' four hits in the game.
WOU was held to four hits as well as a run by Dominguez Hills in the third inning was all the Toros needed in a 1-0 win.
Mackenzee Collins was strong in the circle, giving up the one earned run on seven hits with seven strikeouts and a walk to move her ERA down to 1.40 on the season.
Bella Valdes went 1-for-3 with a double while Doig, Zimmerman and
Lexi Carlos each had a single.
The Wolves return to GNAC play Friday when they begin a four-game series in Canada at Simon Fraser.