GNAC Softball: Western Oregon Sweeps Northwest Nazarene

WOU used the five-hit shutout pitching of Dieringer in the first game to record the five-inning shutout.

Tyler Sutherland went 4-for-5 for WOU in the nightcap. Photo: WOU Athletics

NAMPA, Idaho - Krystal Pennington had six hits and drove in eight runs and Brianne Dieringer pitched nine shutout innings as Western Oregon swept a softball doubleheader from Northwest Nazarene, 10-0 and 14-7 on Saturday at Halle Field in Nampa.

The Wolves, who have now won six straight games, improved to 6-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and to 17-16 overall.

Northwest Nazarene fell to 2-17 on the year and 1-6 in conference play.

WOU used the five-hit shutout pitching of Dieringer in the first game to record the five-inning shutout.

Dieringer walked just one and fanned five Crusader batters. Offensively, Pennington went 3-for-3 in the first game and drove in five runs.

The freshman has a two-run single in WOU's five-run first inning, and later had a two-run double.

Amanda Fleer added a pair of hits for the visitors, as did Melissa Wilson.

In the second game, Western Oregon had to piece together a furious rally in the seventh inning for the comeback win. NNU lead 7-2 after three innings of play, thanks to a six-run second stanza.

But the Wolves cut that margin to two runs with a three-run fourth (7-5), and then erupted for nine runs in the top of the seventh to steal the win.

WOU had nine hits in that inning, which included a three-run double by Pennington and a two-run home run by Wilson.

Fleer also had a two-run base hit in an inning where the Wolves sent 12 batters to the plate.

Wilson had a double and a home run in the same inning.

Tyler Sutherland went 4-for-5 for WOU in the nightcap, while Fleer and Trina Dorn had three hits and three RBI each.

Wilson also had three base knocks and three RBI, while Pennington had two hits and three runs driven in.

Dieringer came out of the bullpen to pitch the final four innings, picking up the win.

She allowed only two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four.

The GNAC-leading Wolves had 19 hits in the game.

WOU will now return home for 15 consecutive games, beginning with a Wednesday doubleheader against Western Washington at 2:30 PM.

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