Thursday, May 11, 2017
SEASIDE, Calif. – Paityn Cyr’s two-run single capped a three-run rally with two outs in the top of the seventh Thursday as No. 8 seed Western Washington stunned No. 1 seeded Cal State Monterey Bay in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Softball West Regional at the Otter Sports Complex.
The Vikings trailed 3-2 going into the top of the inning, but suceeded in loading the bases against Otters' starter Hayley Fein. With two outs, Kali Patterson drew the bases loaded walk, scoring pinch-runner Kylisa Hull for the tying run before Cyr sent the first pitch she saw through the middle to score Carlie Richards and Jackie Lucido. The Otters put two runners in scoring position and had the potential winning run at the plate before Anna Kasner struck out Courtney Hennings to end the game and extend the Vikings’ current win streak to 12 games.
The game-winning hit capped a day that saw Cyr led Western Washington offensively, going 2 for 3 with thw two RBIs. Labasan also had two hits. Kasner, meanwhile, had another solid outing to improve to 16-5 on the season. She allowed three runs, two earned on five hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.
With the win, the Vikings (34-17) advance to play Dixie State on Friday at 11 a.m. The No. 4 Trailblazers opened the tournament with a 5-4 win over No. 5 seed Sonoma State.
Labasan opened the game with a leadoff single to right, moved to second on a ground out and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Kasner’s single to center field. The Otters, however, took the run back and more in the home half of the inning. Mikal Cuellar led off with a single, Hennings reached on an error and Julia Garcia cleared them off with a three-run homer to right center field.
Labasan and Sarah Morrow opened the third with singles. The Vikings had both runners in scoring position before Cal State Monterey Bay starter Hayley Fein steuck out Mackinlee Sellevold and coaxed Emily Benson and Kasner into a pair of ground outs back to the circle to end the threat. Western Washington had Kali Patterson and Carlie Richards in scoring position again with one out in the fourth before two more ground ball outs ended the frame.
Western Washington closed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth. With a two-out rally. Patterson started it off with a walk, advanced to second on Paityn Cyr’s single to left field and scored on McKenna Mathis’ double to left field, which set up the Vikings' heroics in the seventh.
Fein dropped to 29-11 with the loss for Cal State Monterey Bay (43-12). She allowed five runs on eight hits with six walks and three strikeouts. The Otters had a balanced offense with five different players getting the team’s five hits.