ELLENSBURG, Wash. — The Western Oregon softball team swept a GNAC doubleheader at Central Washington on Saturday, rolling to an 11-3 win in five innings in the opener before erupting for an 18-10 victory in game two.
The 18 runs in game two were WOU's most in a game since a 19-18, eight-inning win over Montana State Billings on March 19, 2017, and the most in a non-extra-inning game since the Wolves scored 21 in a win over Simon Fraser on April 12, 2015.
The Wolves' 22 hits in game two is tied for the most in WOU's NCAA era history (the Wolves joined the NCAA in 2001) with the same win over Simon Fraser on April 12, 2015.
WOU improved to 17-12 overall and 3-1 in GNAC play, while Central Washington fell to 7-19 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Game 1 - Western Oregon 11, Central Washington 3 (5 innings)
The Wolves wasted little time taking control, scoring three runs in the first inning and six more in the second to build a 9-2 lead.
Western Oregon added another run in the third on Mauer's sacrifice fly and pushed its final run across in the fourth when Hommel singled home Jocelyn Rush.
Brooklyn Schneidt paced the offense, going 3 for 3 with three RBI and a walk. Lauren Mauer finished 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Braeli Martin went 2 for 4 with two RBI. Madelynne Hommel scored three times and added an RBI, and Sydney Conklin drove in two runs.
Braeli Martin entered in the first in relief settled things in the circle and earned the win. Martin went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out seven and walking three.
Game 2 - Western Oregon 18, Central Washington 10
Western Oregon broke out the bats in a big way in the second game, piling up 22 hits and scoring in every inning but one.
The Wolves scored one in the first, one in the second, one in the third and one in the fourth before breaking the game open with six runs in the fifth, four in the sixth and four more in the seventh.
Hope Bodak went 3 for 4 and scored four runs, while Brooklyn Schneidt finished 3 for 5 with three RBI, including a double and a triple. Reghann Fairbairn was 3 for 3 with two RBI and a walk, Haley Homan went 3 for 3 with three RBI, and Braeli Martin added two hits and two RBI.
Lauren Mauer went 2 for 4 with an RBI and homered in the seventh, while Jocelyn Rush came off the bench and delivered a two-run double in the sixth. Victoria Zimmerman scored three times and had two hits, and Bodak also tripled as part of Western Oregon's relentless attack.
Kennedy Abbas earned the win, going 5.2 innings and allowing nine hits, 10 runs - eight earned - with four strikeouts and eight walks. Abby Stansbury picked up the save, tossing the final 1.1 innings without allowing a hit or a run.