Saturday, May 6, 2017

LACEY, Wash. – Kailyn Campbell went 3 for 3 and had a pair of RBI doubles to allow No. 1 seed Central Washington to stay alive in the GNAC Softball Championships Saturday as the Wildcats beat No. 3 seed and tournament host Saint Martin’s 5-4, at the SMU Softball Field.

The Wildcats single runs in the first and third and plated three in the fourth inning for a 5-1 lead, but had to hold off a valiant comeback that saw the Saints score one in the fifth and three in the seventh to come within one run.

In addition to her three hits, Campbell finished three RBIs to lead Central Washington offensively. Celine Fowler and Jacie McDaniels each had two hits as the top three batters in the CWU finished the game 7 for 10.

Mary Dettling and Jackie Schmaeling each had two hits for Saint Martin’s, with Schmaeling knocking in two runs in the top of the seventh.

With the win, the Wildcats (34-14) advance to the next game where they will play No. 4 Western Oregon in an elimination game at 3 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to Sunday’s championship game against No. 2 seed Western Washington at noon. Saint Martin’s sees it’s season end at 25-19.

Central Washington opened scoring in the bottom of the first as the Wildcats’ first three batters all had hits. Fowler led off with a single to left and scored when Campbell followed with a double to center field. The Wildcats added one in the third when McDaniels reached on a single, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and plated on Taylor Ferleman’s bloop single to left center field.

Kayla Ellis walked to lead off the fourth. Rachel Johnson followed with a single and Fowler added another single to score Ellis from third. Campbell then made it a 5-0 CWU lead when she hit her second double of the day, scoring Johnson and Fowler.

Saint Martin’s took the zero off their side of the board in the top of the fifth. Lauren Diuco reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to secodn and third on wild pitches and scored on Mary Dettling’s single to left center field.

After retiring Central Washington in order in the fifth and sixth innings, the Saints tried to give their home fans a comeback in the top of the seventh. Alyssa Slate led off with a single and Lindsay Miller walked before Diuco singled to make it a 5-2 game. Dettling then loaded the bases for Jackie Schmaeling, who knocked two runs in with her single through the left side to make it a 5-4 game.

The next three batters all produced the same result – fielder’s choice with the out made at third base to end the game and keep the Wildcats alive.

Kayla Smith picked up the win in the circle for Central Washington to improve to 10-9 on the season. She allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits with four walks and a strikeout. Kim Nelson took the loss for Saint Martin’s, dropping to 12-10 on the year. She allowed five runs on 10 hits with two walks.