Sunday, May 7, 2017

LACEY, Wash. – Western Washington freshman Anna Kasner threw a complete-game two hitter while the offensive made a five-run second inning stand up as the Vikings won the GNAC Softball Championships with a 5-0 win over Western Oregon Sunday at the SMU Softball Field.

Kasner, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, did not allow a hit past the third inning and retired the final 13 batters she faced. For the game, she allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out four. Kasner won all three games for the Vikings in the championships, allowing one unearned run on seven hits with four walks and 23 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched.

In addition to the pitching performance, Kasner led the Vikings offensively as she went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

With the victory, Western Washington (33-17) claimed its first tournament championship and the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Vikings will learn their next stop in their playoff journey on Monday with the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at 7 a.m. (Pacific). Western Oregon’s season ends at 28-23.

Kasner and Western Oregon starter Lizzet Dominguez made for a quick first inning with a total of 16 pitches thrown between the two players. In the bottom of the second, however, Western Washington capitalized on three Dominguez walks to break the game open. Emily Benson drew a leadoff walk, Kasner followed with a single and, two batters later, Paityn Cyr drew a free pass to load the bases.

Kali Patterson brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly and Mackenzie Palmer loaded the bases again when she was hit by a pitch. Labasan drew the walk to score Kasner before Sarah Morrow delivered a single to left center that scored Cyr and Mackinlee Sellevold followed with a two-run single that plated Palmer and Labasan for the 5-0 Vikings’ lead.

Dominguez yielded to Sammi Cadwallader for the Wolves in the second and succeeded in shutting the Vikings down, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out one in 3.1 innings of work. Haley Fabian faced five batters in the seventh, allowing two walks.

Western Oregon’s best scoring chance came in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Zoe Clark reached on a walk and Jenna Kelly singled before Kasner coaxed Ku’ulei Siolo into a ground out to end the frame. Kelly and Ryanne Huffman accounted for both of WOU’s hits.

Western Washington will enter the NCAA Division II Tournament having won its last 11 games. The Vikings did not commit an error in the tournament and have not made a miscue in their last four games.