The softball team stormed back from an early deficit to win the first game, 7-6, but could not find enough offense in the second game as salvaged a split with a 2-1 victory Thursday afternoon in a GNAC doubleheader at WOU Field.
With the split, (34-12) and (28-15) remain tied for the GNAC lead with identical 16-6 records. However, the Wolves hold the tiebreaker for the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of winning the conference series over the Redhawks, three games to one.
scored five runs in the second inning of the first game on seven singles, including two infield hits. Meanwhile, Katie Fleer allowed only two hits and a walk through the first three innings. However, broke through in the top of the fourth inning, first with a leadoff home run by Jane Purdy (), her fourth of the season.
After Lauren Berin (Lacey, ) singled, Brenda Stice () hit a home run to left-center field to cut the Wolves’ lead to 5-3. Jamie Foote (, ) singled and Jessica Amador () doubled, followed by a wild pitch and a passed ball that scored both runners and tied the game at 5-5.
Erin Martin (, ) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, and the Redhawks seized the momentum in the sixth inning, as pinch hitter Kaha Weir (, ) laced a single to center field that scored Amador and Katie Gould (). Martin gave up a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but then induced a groundout to end the game and pick up her 22nd victory of the season.
In the second game, first baseman Amanda Fleer played a role in both runs, singling and scoring in the second and then driving in Kristin Maglasang with a single in the third inning. Jessica Wood gave up only four hits through the first five innings, but then doubles by Megan MacIsaac () and Berin in the sixth inning cut the Wolves’ lead in half.
A single by Sandra Hernandez () forced a pitching change, with Christina Cooke coming on with two runners on and one out in the sixth. Cooke retired the next five batters in order to save the game for Wood. Kelsey Reynolds () took the loss for the Redhawks despite giving up only six hits in the contest.
Berin finished the day 4-for-7 with a double, a run scored, and a run batted in. Katie Antich () earned two hits and two stolen bases in the first game, while Stice and Weir each had a hit in both games of the twinbill.
Seattle University and Western Oregon, who have played five consecutive one-run games against each other, will face off in a non-conference game Friday, May 2, at 2 p.m. Both teams will finish the regular season with GNAC doubleheaders at home Saturday, May 3, beginning at 12 noon, as Western Oregon will host Western Washington and faces ’s on Senior Day at Logan Field.