SAN ANTONIO -- Kelsie Gardner's one-out, three-run homer in the eighth inning spelled doom for Midwestern State Saturday afternoon here at the St. Mary's Rattler Invitational as Western Oregon came away with a 9-7 win.

The Mustangs dropped their second-straight game to fall to 9-6 on the season, while WOU improved to 4-8.

MSU takes on defending national champion Central Oklahoma this afternoon before closing tournament play Sunday with games against Western Oregon and St. Mary's at 10 a.m. and noon, respectively.

Western Oregon grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first inning as each of its three batters reached on singles, then took advantage of an MSU fielding miscue to plate three runs in the frame.

The Mustangs bounced back to the tie the game with a three-run third keyed by a Kim Jerrick's sixth homer of the season on a two-run shot to center field.

Junior shortstop Katy Vandewater delivered a two-run double in the fifth inning then scored on a Shelby Carter's two-bagger to the right gap to give the Mustangs a 6-3 lead.

But the Wolves countered quickly with three more runs in the bottom of the frame and the teams exchanged zeroes over the final two stanzas to force extra innings.

Freshman outfielder Erin Knox opened the eighth with an RBI double to the left-field gap to plate Carter, who was placed on second in the international tiebreaker.

That's all the Mustangs would get as Knox was erased at third when Katelyn Potts reached on a fielder's choice then Potts was caught stealing and Demi Thompson struck out swinging to end the threat.

Western Oregon catcher Bridjet Box reached on an infield single to set up Gardner's game winning home run to left field in the bottom of the inning.

Sophomore outfielder Haley Howerton extended her career-best hitting streak to 12 games with her eighth double of the season in the first inning, while junior third baseman Kelley Schaefer's streak reached seven games with a double down the left-field line in the third.

Jerrick paced the Mustangs' 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Vandewater, who has hits in six straight games, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Sophomore starter Kat Batey allowed nine runs -- six earned -- on 11 hits to take the loss for the Mustangs. She recorded three strikeouts and did not issue a walk in 7 1/3 innings of work.

Western Oregon outfielder Amanda Evola had four hits to pace the Wolves' 10-hit attack.