PORTLAND, Ore.—In its final action before opening conference play, the Concordia softball team split a doubleheader against Western Oregon on Friday.

Western Oregon took the first game of the day 5-2 before Concordia stole the second game 3-2. With the results, Western Oregon moved to 5-12 on the year, while Concordia moved to 9-11.

Next up, Concordia opens its conference schedule with doubleheaders against Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech at home next weekend. Concordia will first play Southern Oregon on Friday, March 16 at 2 p.m., then take on Oregon Tech on Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m.

The WOU Wolves broke open the first game with a five-run fifth inning that held up for a 5-2 win.

WOU’s Amanda Evola opened the scoring in the fifth when she sent a one-out single through the middle of the infield with the bases loaded. Evola’s hit scored two WOU runners, while Evola and Desiree Villegas each advanced an extra base on the throw home to give WOU runners on second and third with still only one out. Jourdan Williams came up for the Wolves after that and sent a fly ball to left that scored Villegas and moved Evola to third. Finally, WOU catcher Ashley Worthey ended the rally with a home run that cleared the left-field wall, scoring Evola.

Concordia, meanwhile, couldn’t get a runner past first in the bottom of the fifth, but then put themselves within striking distance with two runs in the sixth. Laura Luther and Kyndell Andrews started the rally for the Cavs with back-to-back one-out walks. Riely Byrd relieved Andrews at first after that, while Tobey Varney followed the walks with a single to left-center field that scored Luther and moved Byrd to third. Breanne Larkin then capped the Cavs’ scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Byrd.

Concordia then made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh when Sam Genskay and Allison Gunter reached with two outs off back-to-back infield singles. However, WOU reliever Brittany Reeves got Luther to ground into a fielder’s choice after that to close out the victory for the Wolves.

Overall, the Wolves edged Concordia in hits, 6-5, while Concordia left seven runners on compared to just five from WOU.

Individually, Varney finished 2-for-3 for the Cavs with an RBI, while Allison Gunter went 2-for-4.

On the mound, CU starter Ashley Suter went 4.2 innings in the losing effort, while giving up all five of WOU’s runs off five hits. On the flip side, WOU starter Eryka Brill went 5.1 to pick up the win, giving up two runs on two hits. Reeves picked up the save for the Wolves after pitching 1.2 innings in relief.

Held without a base-runner through 4.2 and a hit through 5.1 innings, Concordia rallied in the sixth inning to steal the second game from WOU, 3-2.

Concordia entered the bottom of the sixth down 2-0 and with only one base runner to that point in the game. Regardless, Mariah Jimenez led off the inning well for the Cavs, as she reached on error from WOU’s first baseman. Jennifer Lutton reentered for Jimenez at first after that, then advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt from Breanne Larkin. WOU’s third baseman charged on Larkin’s bunt, but no other WOU player covered third, which allowed Lutton to advance the extra base on a heads-up play from the Cavs’ center fielder. Sam Genskay then broke the no-hitter for WOU starter Hannah Pomeroy with an infield single before moving to second on a passed ball.

Now with the tying runner in scoring position and only one out, the bottom fell out of the WOU defense as Allison Gunter and Laura Luther reached on back-to-back fielding errors that scored Lutton and Genskay to tie the game. Kyndell Andrews then put the Cavs up for the first time in the game with a single to right field that scored Lutton.

To their credit, Western Oregon came back to threaten in the top of the seventh, as two Concordia errors put runners on first and second with no outs. However, the Cavs retired the next three WOU batters to seal the victory. WOU’s Jourdan Williams came up as the Wolves final batter in the game, having gone 2-for-2 to that point. Williams had also scored both of the Wolves’ runs after leading off the fourth and sixth with a double and single, respectively. Fortunately for the Cavs, though, Williams missed her chance to tie the game for the Wolves, lining out to third to end the game.

Overall, Concordia made the most of its opportunities, while WOU missed on several of its own chances. WOU outhit Concordia 7-2 and left eight runners on compared to just three for the Cavs.

Individually, only Genskay and Andrews finished with hits in the game for the Cavs, as Pomeroy had shut Concordia down for all but the sixth inning.

Pomeroy pitched all six innings for the Wolves, giving up the three runs in the sixth, though none of them were earned. Somewhat cruelly, Pomeroy finished with the loss despite carrying a perfect game through 4.2 innings.

For the Cavs, Lacey Romo pitched a complete game, picking up the win, while only allowing two runs.