MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon softball team opened GNAC play with a bang Thursday as
Mackenzee Collins struck out a GNAC-high 13 in game one and
Natalie Willoughby knocked in a GNAC-high seven runs in game two as the Wolves took two from Montana State Billings 4-1 and 13-2 Thursday at WOU Softball Field to move their win streak to seven games.
The win streak is the longest for WOU since winning 10 in a row 10 years ago in 2014.
In the first game, the Wolves (10-7 overall, 2-0 GNAC) scored a pair of runs in the third (RBI singles from
Kate Ronning and
Chelby Smalley) and two more in the fourth (
Lexi Carlos RBI groundout and a
Bella Valdes RBI double) to take a 4-0 - more than enough for Collins.
The senior allowed just a lone earned run and got stronger as the game went on - with 12 of her final 15 outs of the game coming via the strikeout. Collins gave up six hits and walked two to go along with her 13 strikeouts - the most in the GNAC this season (she held the previous high of 11 against Chaminade earlier this season).
The 13 strikeouts is tied for the fourth most in WOU history and is the most since Jessica Wood struck out 14 against Stanislaus State in 2009.
Sophie Franklin, Carlos and Valdes had two hits apiece for the Wolves.
In game two, the Wolves jumped out to a 4-0 in the first capped by a Willoughby three-run homer to right. WOU scored a run in the second, four more in the third and closed out the game in the fifth when Willoughby hit a walk-off grand slam to end the game via run rule. She finished the game 3-for-4 with two homers, seven RBI and two runs. Carlos and
Aaliyah Gaboriault also had two hits apiece in the contest.
Willoughby's seven RBI is the second most in WOU history - only behind Jessica Hallmark's eight set in 2009 against Northwest Nazarene - and is tied for the third most in a game this season in NCAA Division II.
WOU pitching again was strong as freshman
Alivia Holden started the game and tossed three perfect inning with a strikeout to pick up the win while
Jessica Morgan pitched the final two innings.
The Wolves and Yellowjackets close out their four-game series with another doubleheader starting 11 a.m. Friday at WOU Softball Field.
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