Feb. 9, 2013

Box Score - Game 1

Box Score - Game 2

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Freshman catcher Taylor Clark (Tacoma/Wilson) had a walk-off, two-out infield single as Western Washington University rallied to defeat Chadron State NE, 3-2, in second-day action Saturday at the fourth annual Montana State University Billings Desert Stinger Softball Tournament,

The Vikings, 6-6 overall and 3-1 in tourney play, then fell 13-9 in eight innings to Grand Canyon AZ despite a two-out, three-run homer by Jackie Rothenberger (Sr., Coquitlam, B.C.) in the bottom of the seventh inning that sent the game into extra innings tied at 7-7.

The home run by Rothenberger was one of five by WWU in the contest, tying the school record set last season.

In the first game, Chadron State scored two unearned runs in the top of the first.

The Vikings got one in the third when Alexie Levin (Fr., Everett) tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Walley (Maple Valley/Tahoma) and they tied the game at 2-2 with an unearned run in the sixth.

After WWU reliever Jenna DeRosier (Jr., Kelso) pitched her second shutout inning, the Vikings' Haylee Baker (Jr., Poulsbo/Bainbridge) reached base on a two-out single, advanced to third on a single by Meghan Carrillo (Jr., Prunedale, CA/North Monterey County), setting the stage for Clark's heroics.

DeRosier improved to 4-1 with the win, allowing just two hits, after Anisa Wingsness (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si) pitched the first five innings.

In the second game, Grand Canyon took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the third. WWU tied the score at 2-2 in the fourth on two-out back-to-back homers by Baker and Carrillo, and took a 3-2 lead in the sixth on a leadoff home run by Walley, her team-leading third of the season.

Grand Canyon scored five runs in the seventh to take a 7-3 lead. The big blow a grand-slam homer by Lauren Regester.

In the bottom of that inning, Allen led off with a double and scored on a two-out double by Levin. Walley was walked intentionally before Rothenberger's game-tying three-run blast over the rightfield fence.

But the Antelopes scored six runs in the top of the eighth, Regester driving in two more with a single and Haley Walker hitting a three-run homer.

WWU cut the deficit to four with a two-run home run by Allen, who also had two doubles in the game, and had two runners on base before Grand Canyon got the final out.

The Vikings complete tourney play Sunday, facing Black Hills State SD at 2 p.m. On Friday they posted wins over Fort Lewis College CO, 18-2 in five innings, and UC-Colorado Springs, 9-2.