April 8, 2004
Box Score
MONMOUTH, Ore. - Down by eight runs after five innings, a spirited rally by Western Washington University fell short as the Vikings lost 9-8 to Western Oregon University in the first game of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Thursday.
The Vikings, who fell to 15-13 overall and 4-3 league, trailed 9-1 after five innings. They closed the gap to one with six runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Mandy Kaestner (So., Coeur d'Alene, Id.) and Dani Deyette (Sr., Olympia) each had two-run singles for Western in the rally, and Adrienne Moore (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest) drove in two more with a triple.
But Western Oregon relief pitcher Amanda Johnson came in to get the last out of the inning and retired three straight in the seventh for her first save of the season.
Starter Ashley Holstrom (6-9) got the win for the Wolves, who improved to 7-22 overall and 2-7 league with their third straight win. On Tuesday, they snapped a 10-game losing streak with two home victories over Albertson College ID.
Western Oregon's Marissa Card was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. She doubled and scored in the first, drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple in the
Wolves' six-run fourth, and had a run-scoring single as WOU scored two more in the fifth.
Western scored one run in the first on a sacrifice fly by Deyette and another in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Megan McPhee (Jr., Anacortes).
Kaestner was 3-for-4 for the Vikings, scoring three runs and driving in two. Deyette was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Moore 2-for-4 with two RBI and Cortney Walton (Fr., Chesapeake, VA) 2-for-4.
Western starting pitcher Nicole Walker (Fr., Kenmore/Juanita) (8-4) got the loss, working the first 3-1/3 innings. Jackie Quint (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap) pitched 2-2/3 innings of relief.
The Vikings have now lost the opener in six of eight twinbills this season.
Following today's second game, Western continues its road trip to Arcata, Calif., meeting National Fastpitch Coaches Association/NCAA Division II nationally No.9-ranked Humboldt State (35-9, 10-0) on Saturday (11 a.m.) in a GNAC doubleheader.
