Yellowjackets Fall in First GNAC Action

Game 1

Game 2

MONMOUTH, Ore. -  Western Oregon (2-0 GNAC, 2-0) opened the 2009 GNAC season sweeping Montana State Billings (0-2 GNAC, 7-7), 3-2 and 3-0 Saturday afternoon. The Wolves and Yellowjackets will do battle in another doubleheader, tomorrow afternoon.  The first game is scheduled to start at noon.

In the first game, Western Oregon scored in its first at-bat.  With runners at the corners, a wild pitch advanced both runners to make it 1-0.  In the top of the second inning, Dawn Norcross homered to centerfield to tie the game at 1-1.

In the third inning, the Wolves found the plate twice.  WOU led off with a walk and double.  After two strikeouts, Krysta Pennington singled to centerfield to drive in both runners.  That made it 3-1 in favor of Western Oregon.

Kelly Parsons led off the fourth with a walk and was replaced by Amanda Goings as a pinch runner.  Whitney Whittemore singled down the right field line and advanced to third when the second baseman made a bad throw on the relay.  That error allowed Goings to score and make it 3-2.

In the sixth, the Yellowjackets threatened with runners on second and third.  Western Oregon got a ground out to end the inning.  In the top of the seventh, Steph Gosselin was hit by a pitch with one out.  The Wolves got a strikeout and a groundout to preserve the win.

Whittemore went two-for-three while Rebekah Tsatsa (2-4) gave up three hits, three runs, walked three and struck out nine batters.

In the second game, Western Oregon scored one run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings.  Jessie Lessard threw a two hitter with one walk and five strikeouts.

Whittemore and Jenna VanEykeren collected the hits for the Yellowjackets.  Kasie Conder (3-2) gave up seven hits, three runs, two earned, walked two and struck out three batters.