[Game 1 box score] [Game 2 box score]
MONMOUTH, Ore. - Just when things looked like they might be headed downhill for the Western Oregon softball team, it responded with its best back-to-back games of the season to take the doubleheader and the series from Montana State Billings.
After falling behind 5-0 after the top of the third in game one, the Wolves put together 12 consecutive quality innings outscoring the Yellowjackets 13-1 over that time en route to taking game one 10-6 and game two 3-0.
WOU (5-4) now moves into a tie with MSU Billings (6-7) for third place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a 4-4 record. Both teams trail Western Washington by one game and are two games back of Central Washington.
Game 1
Bailey Rueck went 3-for-4 with the go-ahead grand slam as Western Oregon came from five runs down to defeat Montana State Billings in game one 10-6.
The Wolves trailed 5-1 with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, before three straight batters reached base to load the bases for Tyler Sutherland. She singled up the middle to plate pinch runner Rocky Knuth from third and cut the deficit to 5-2. After a strikeout, Rueck stepped into the box with a chance to give the Wolves the lead. She tattooed a 2-1 pitch to center field to put the Wolves in front 6-5.
"I was just trying to keep a clear head and she threw me a fat pitch right over the plate," said Rueck about the pitch she hit the grand slam on. "Any hit would have got the job done, but I would not have been in that position if the others in front of me hadn't done their job."
Rueck's home run seemed to spark the offense. WOU went on to put up one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth, as they scored 10 unanswered runs.
"Any situation that could get energy under us I knew we would be able to keep it up," continued Rueck. "It could have been a great play in the field or a big hit, but we just needed that boost."
Kelsie White (1-0) earned her first collegiate victory in the game. She entered in the top of the second and went the final 5.2 innings allowing six hits and three runs (two earned). Lindsey Trenary (4-1) suffered her first loss of the season for the Yellowjackets after surrendering 11 hits and seven runs (five earned) in 4.2 innings pitched.
Rueck also had a single, a double, two runs scored and four RBI in the win to go along with her go-ahead grand slam. Sutherland went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Ellen Bogardus added two singles in three at-bats.
Kaycee Hoffman and Stevie Howard had two hits apiece to lead the Yellowjackets.
The Wolves were also able to capitalize with five unearned runs in the contest off five errors by the Yellowjackets.
Game 2
Jessie Lessard pitched a complete game three-hitter to lead Western Oregon to a 3-0 win in the nightcap. She struck out eight Yellowjackets in seven innings and seemed to get stronger as the game went on.
"I got more confidence (later in the game) and was hitting my spots," said Lessard who earned her first win of the season. "We took it one pitch at a time and really worked the corners, especially the outside of the plate."
The Wolves' offense gave her the early lead on an RBI-single by Amanda Fleer in the second and a solo home run by Tyler Sutherland in the third, and Lessard took it from there as she surrendered just one hit after the second inning.
Kendra George went 3-for-3 in the game and Fleer was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.
"We stepped up our play today," said Western Oregon head coach Pam Knox. "Kelsey and Jessie gave us good outings, we played strong defensively and we hit the ball well.
"I am very proud of us for coming to play today," continued Knox. "We just had to get a couple of runs to get in the game, and we were fortunate to get a couple of breaks and explode from there."
Next games
It will be a quick turnaround for the WOU softball team as they travel to Arcata, Calif., to face Humboldt State (6-8) in a four-game series Mar. 9-10.