Thursday, May 5, 2016

AZUSA, Calif. – For their second straight tournament, Central Washington will have to work their way through the consolation bracket.

After winning their opening game of the NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament earlier in the day, the No. 21 Wildcats’ comeback against host Azusa Pacific fell short as the Cougars took a 4-3 victory Thursday at the Cougar Softball Complex.

The No. 14 ranked Cougars scored one run in the second inning before adding three runs in the fifth. Central Washington came back to score three runs in the sixth, but left 11 batters on base during the game, including three in the sixth.

Originally scheduled to be played on Friday morning, the game between the two opening game winners was moved to Thursday night in order to avoid potential weather issues. With the loss, Central Washington will face the winner of an elimination game between Dixie State and UC San Diego on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Central Washington beat Dixie State 2-0 in their tournament opener.

Azusa Pacific opened scoring in the second inning when Madison Hernandez reached on an error and scored on a single to right center field by Christine Pinela.

The Cougars cobbled together their three-run fifth on three hits. Jacqueline Carlin opened with a one-out double down the left field line. A walk and a bunt single loaded the bases for Jacqueline Carlin, whose single to left scored Carlin. Nicki Sprague then drew a bases loaded walk before Illiana Jimenez scored on a wild pitch.

After seeing scoring opportunities go unrealized in four of the first five innings, Central Washington finally hit the pay station in the sixth. Sammy Morris reached on an error and scored on a one-out single by Andrea Hamada. Pinch-runner Michaela Hazlett advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Celine Fowler’s infield single. Fowler later scored on Alexa Olague’s double to left center field.

Kayla Smith took her first loss of the season for Central Washington, dropping to 8-1 overall. She allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Carly Xepoleas received the win for Azusa Pacific, allowing three unearned runs on six hits in 2.1 innings of relief to improve to 16-5. Narissa Garcia picked up her fourth save of the season.

Fowler led Central Washington offensively by going 3 for 4 with a run and a RBI. Morris and Hamada each went 2 for 4. Broussard led Azusa Pacific with a 4 for 4 evening that included a RBI.