Saturday, April 30, 2016

LACEY, Wash. – In a season where they have played dominantly, Central Washington also showed they can be resilient.

The Wildcats became the first team to work their way back through the consolation bracket to win the GNAC Softball Championships, claiming the trophy with a pair of victories over Western Oregon, 11-2 in five innings and 9-3, Saturday at the Saint Martin’s University Softball Field.

The No. 1 seeded Wildcats lost their opener on Thursday to Saint Martin’s, 2-0, but roared back to take both games on Friday to set up the showdown with the Wolves on Saturday.

In the process, head coach Mike Larabee, in his first season at Central Washington, earned his 300th victory with the win in game one. The Wildcats’ Alexa Olague was named the tournament’s most valuable player after she went 8 for 13 in the five games with two runs, four RBI, a double and a home run.

Central Washington improved to 38-14 on the season and earns the GNAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Western Oregon dropped to 31-24 and will hold out hope for a potential at-large selection. The tournament field will be announced via a live webcast on NCAA.com on Monday morning at 7 a.m. (Pacific).

GAME 1
Western Oregon opened scoring in the second when Lexi Jennings hammered a two-run home run to left field. The Wildcats responded with a vengeance, hammering out six runs in the top of the third. The first three batters in the frame had hits, with Kailyn Campbell’s double to center field scoring Celine Fowler. Campbell scored on an error and pinch-runner Michaela Hazlett gave CWU the lead on a sacrifice fly by Brielle Copodonna.

Taylor Ferleman and Sammy Morris followed with singles and both scored on a double by Andrea Hamada, who later scored on two illegal pitch calls to close the inning. The Wildcats added a single run in the fourth when pinch-runner Tammy Wilkening scored on a two-out double by Copodonna.

A two-out rally in the top of the fifth close it out for Central Washington. Fowler reached on a single and Campbell and Olague were hit by pitches to load the bases for Wilkerson, who clubbed a grand slam to left center field to stake the Wildcats to the 11-2 lead. Western Oregon put one runner on in the bottom of the fifth, but could not score.

Kayla Smith improved to 8-0 with the win in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Alyson Boytz took her first loss of the tournament for the Wolves, allowing six runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in 2-2 innings. She dropped to 13-8 on the season.

Fowler led Central Washington by going 3 for 4 with rwo runs. Jennings went 2 for 2 with two RBI to pace Western Oregon. Central’s Michaela Hazlett, who entered as a pitcher-runner in the fifth, stole a base to become the Wildcats’ career leader.

GAME 2
Central Washington looked to break it open early, scoring three in the bottom of the first. The Wildcats’ first three batters reached base with Fowler opening scoring when she plated on Wilkerson’s sacrifice fly. Campbell and Olague scored on Copodonna’s triple to center field.

Western Oregon kept it close by scoring a pair in the top of the second. Mercedes Green led off with a single and came home on a triple to center field by Brandy Knowles, who later plated on a wild pitch. Central Washington responded with three runs in a two-out rally in the home half of the frame. A fielder’s choice, single and hit batter loaded the bases for Wilkerson, who reached on a fielder’s choice to score Fowler. Campbell scored when Copodonna drew a bases loaded walk and pinch-hitter Wilkening scored on Laura Steiner’s single.

The Wolves added one in the top of the third with Emma Alfonso singling and scoring two batters later on a fielder’s choice. Western Oregon capitalized on two Central Washington errors to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of third, but Kiana Wood struck out Alfonso to end the inning.

Central Washington added single runs in both the fourth and fifth. Campbell led off the fourth with a single and scored on scored on a single to center field by Wilkerson. Ferleman led off the fifth with a single, advanced to second on an error and eventually scored on a single by pinch-hitter Taelor Griffin.

Kiana Wood went the distance for Central Washington to improve to 18-6 on the season. She allowed three runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Haley Fabian (4-1) took the loss for Western Oregon, allowing seven runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work. Fowler and Campbell each had two hits to lead the Wildcats offensively with Wilkerson collecting three RBI. Knowles had two hits to pace Western Oregon.