Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
The clock’s winding down on the softball season and the race for the GNAC championships. The Wolves looked to four pivotal home games from April 21-22 against Montana State-Billings to stay in postseason conversation. The first game started them out right, defeating the Yellowjackets, 5-2.
They had the help of their premier hitters on the year to nudge them ahead of the Yellowjackets in game one. Second in runs scored in the conference, and first-year right fielder Tyler Creach turned home after a steal to second to start Western’s scoring. Tied for first in the GNAC in doubles, junior outfielder Cheyenne Rimer had another to score in, team home run leader and senior outfielder, Zoe Clark.
The sixth inning came and so did the load up on bases for scores. Junior infielder Ryanne Huffman batted in first-year infielder Sydney Bowers for the game clincher.
The series and score flipped, as the Yellowjackets took game two, 5-2. Montana was bolstered by their own power hitters. Two solo-homers did the damage including one by Montana State-Billings’s pitcher Megan Dettling.
A second doubleheader on April 22 saw Montana and Western even. The ‘Jackets returned again to their batting ways in game one, led by current GNAC home run leader and infielder Cameron Cassinelli who homered in the first run. Montana-State sought to take a commanding series lead up 5-3 going into the seventh inning, but the Wolves made their run.
A solo-homer by sophomore left fielder Ayanna Arceneaux brought them within one. Then, with the bases loaded and after a Creach run to tie, infield sophomore Chandler Bishop hit a walk-off single to win it.
Montana State came back stinging, however, in the final game for the 12-8 victory. Five home runs were smashed out of the park, including a big, grand-slam homer by Dettling in the second inning. The Yellowjackets continued their momentum scoring three more runs to go up 9-0 in the same period.
Western made a significant return as Clark, Huffman, Creach and company scored runs to pull them closer late in the innings but the visiting team created too much cushion between them.
As it’s been all season, the remaining games played by any of Western’s conference foes can shape the playoff picture as one team’s already clinched.
“We have to make sure we take care of ourselves and let the other teams fall where they may,” said Bishop.
They have four remaining games on the season-all played at home-to make up ground.
The four games will be played on April 28-29 with the first doubleheader against Simon Fraser. First pitch is at noon.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
