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

ELLENSBURG (Mar. 21) -- Junior Lauren Hadenfeld (Vancouver/Evergreen HS) threw her second consecutive shutout and sophomore Meghan Kopczynski (Ellensburg) drove in three runs, helping the Central Washington University softball team extend its win streak to nine games with a 9-0 victory over Montana State University Billings in game one of Sunday's doubleheader at Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field. The Wildcats then lost the nightcap, 6-2, but earned their fourth series victory in as many Great Northwest Athletic Conference weekends this season, winning three of four from the Yellowjackets.

Central is now 13-5 overall and 13-3 in the GNAC, maintaining a two-game lead over Western Oregon and a four-game advantage over Montana State Billings. MSUB is now 11-10 overall and 9-7 in the conference.

In the opener, Kopczynski drove in the Wildcats' first three runs -- first with a bases-loaded walk in the first inning and later with a two-run single in the third inning. Senior Christyne Alley (Battle Ground/Prairie HS) added a RBI single later in the third to extend Central's lead to 4-0.

The lead was more than doubled following a five-run fourth inning in which Central totaled five hits and batted through the lineup. Junior Kelsey Haupert (Olympia/Black Hills HS), senior Ashley Fix (Puyallup), and sophomore Jennifer Schwartz (Spokane/Shadle Park HS) all had run-scoring hits in the inning, while two runs scored on a throwing error following a Kopczynski bloop single.

Meanwhile, Hadenfeld continued her dominance of the Yellowjackets, allowing two singles in the second inning and a third-inning double to Stevie Howard. In the second, she preserved her shutout by striking out consecutive hitters after a pair were in scoring position with one out. Hadenfeld, who improved to 8-1 with the complete-game win, retired the final seven hitters she faced.

Haupert, Kopczynski, and Schwartz all had two-hit games for the Wildcats, while four others had one hit each. Junior Samantha Petrich (Chehalis/W.F. West HS) scored three runs, reaching base on three four-pitch walks in the contest.

In game two, Central led 2-1 after the first inning but stranded 11 runners on base in their final six innings. Petrich hit a RBI double to tie the game, and then scored the go-ahead run on a double-steal.

Montana State Billings took its first lead of the series in the top of the sixth, as Howard led off with a single and Whitney Whittemore delivered a two-run home run to left field to give the Yellowjackets a 3-2 advantage. The lead reached 6-2 in the seventh as the Central defense committed three infield errors and Howard had a two-run single for MSUB.

The Wildcats had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, but the potential tying run was thrown out at the plate after Petrich had reached on an error. They then were hitless in the seventh against Lindsey Trenary, who overcame five walks in 5 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win.

Central finished with a hits advantage for the fourth time in as many games in the series, outhitting MSU Billings by an 8-7 count. Three of those hits were doubles -- by Petrich, Fix, and freshman Elena Carter (Olympia/Black Hills HS) -- and senior Danielle Monson (Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck HS) had two hits to extend her hit streak to 17 games. Kopczynski also had her second straight two-hit game.

Howard, Whittemore, and Amanda Hood combined for six of the Yellowjackets' seven hits in the nightcap.

Central Washington will take a week off from GNAC play, making its second trip of the 2010 season to Turlock, Calif., next weekend. The Wildcats are scheduled for at least six games in three days at the Tournament of Champions, presented by Mizuno, including three games on Friday (Mar. 26).