Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
A move to Concordia’s softball facility in Portland changed Western’s playing field as rainouts caused a shift of four home games. But the Wolves evened up the series from April 14-15.
Game one went to the Wolves and their junior pitcher, Haley Fabian, who took command, carrying them to a 3-0 victory. The Cavaliers could not get more than three at-bats throughout the innings. In all, Fabian threw 5 strikeouts, and allowed only three hits and a walk. Fabian’s pitching helped open up the game for the offense to score, running three in, in her complete game shutout.
Concordia was kept scoreless to start the second game as Western’s junior infielder Ryanne Huffman led the way. With 18 runs batted in on the season, she showed for it after a triple allowed for her and first-year utility Tyler Creach to score it 2-0. The game was a back and forth jostle after Concordia came back slashing to a 3-2 lead. The Wolves loaded the bases in the fifth that helped tie the game and returned the advantage in the sixth, 4-3. But the Cavaliers found their niche, and scored four straight runs in the final inning for the 7-5 win to tie the series.
The Wolves’s early batting order has had a knack for striking initial momentum in games this season and set the pace for the rest of game three. Creach, usually first in the batting order before Huffman, who’s hit to a .405 batting average with 10 RBI’s up to game three’s meeting, did so. The speedy utility scored on all four at-bats shaping the game in Western’s favor and eventual win, 8-4, and series advantage.
Concordia, however, wanted to even things up and made that clear in the final meeting. They’d score six runs up until the seventh. Sophomore outfielder Ayanna Arceneaux and Creach found RBI doubles one right after the other to help score three, but it only avoided a shutout as the Cavaliers prevailed, 6-3, to even the series.
Softball’s scheduled for another four games from April 21-22. They’ll go toe-to-toe with the Montana State-Billlings Yellowjackets. The first throw in game one is at noon. The games are subject to change in case of rainouts.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
Photo by: wouwolves.com
