Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

BELLINGHAM (Mar. 14) -- The Central Washington University softball team survived a last-ditch comeback effort in game one, and the Wildcats used three unearned runs to open their scoring in game two en route to a 5-4, 7-1 doubleheader sweep of host Western Washington University on Sunday afternoon at Viking Field.

With the wins, Central completed the first four-game series sweep at Bellingham in the program's 18-year history. The Wildcats also improved their overall record to 10-4 and their Great Northwest Athletic Conference record to 10-2, extending their conference lead to two games in the process. Western Washington fell to 5-7 overall and in conference play.

In the opener, the Wildcats built a 5-0 lead with four runs in the final two innings, but survived a two-out, four-run rally by the host Vikings to win by a 5-4 count.

Junior Samantha Petrich (Chehalis/W.F. West HS), who went 2 for 4 in the opener, started Central's scoring with a solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Senior Christyne Alley (Battle Ground/Prairie HS) delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning to extend the edge, and a two-run throwing error in the top of the seventh allowed senior speedsters Taylor Trautmann (Renton/John F. Kennedy HS) and Danielle Monson (Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck HS) to score and push the margin to 5-0.

Junior Lauren Hadenfeld (Vancouver/Evergreen HS) cruised through the first 6 2/3 innings of the contest in the pitching circle for the Wildcats, allowing just two singles -- one of which was a bunt single in front of the plate -- during that span. However, three straight hits including two doubles with two out in the seventh spoiled the shutout, and after consecutive walks loaded the bases, a costly misplay of a fly ball allowed Western to score two more runs and have the tying run at third base. Senior Katriina Reime (Hoquiam) was summoned from the bullpen, and she induced a bases-loaded groundout from Samantha Rutherford to earn her second save of the series and preserve Central's 5-4 win.

Central outhit Western by a 9-5 count in the opener, led by two hits apiece from Petrich and Trautmann. Petrich had a double and stolen base in addition to her home run.

In game two, Monson went 3 for 4 and drove in a career-high three runs, and junior Kelsey Haupert (Olympia/Black Hills HS) blasted her third home run of the series -- and fifth of the season -- to lead the Wildcats' offensive attack in their six-run victory.

Freshman Elena Carter (Olympia/Black Hills HS) had a RBI single and Monson delivered a two-run single in Central's three-run second inning.

After Western scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the third on a RBI double from Jordan Emmil, the Wildcats extended their lead to 6-1 with Haupert's home run to center field, upping the junior's RBI total on the season to 25 and capping a series in which she drove in 10 runs in four games. Central then scored its final run in the sixth inning on Monson's infield single.

While Central's offense flexed its muscles in the nightcap with its third 10-hit game of the four-game series, sophomore Lindy Baxter (Lacey/River Ridge HS) scattered 10 hits and got the help of three double plays from the Central defense in evening her record on the season to 3-3. She needed 85 pitches to go the distance in the circle and did not walk a batter.

Monson, who extended her hitting streak to 13 games in game two and is now batting .510 on the season, was the only Wildcat with more than one hit.

Three players -- Meghan Flem (3 for 3), Jessica Carey (2 for 4), and Karli Baumgartner (2 for 3) -- combined for seven of Western Washington's 10 hits in the game with multi-hit games.

Central Washington will look to extend its six-game win streak as they return home to Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field next weekend for a pivotal four-game series against second-place Montana State Billings (10-7, 8-4 GNAC).