Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
ELLENSBURG (Apr. 16) -- Senior Lauren Hadenfeld (Vancouver/Evergreen HS) allowed just one earned run with 14 strikeouts over 10 innings combined, and the Central Washington University offense totaled five home runs among its 29 hits as the Wildcat softball team swept another doubleheader from visiting Northwest Nazarene, 8-5 and 18-6, on Saturday at Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field.
The wins extended Central's winning streak to 11 games, and improved the Wildcats' overall record to 21-11. CWU (15-5) also moved to within one game of idle Western Washington (29-8, 17-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) in the conference standings.
Hadenfeld, who was also the winning pitcher in both games of Friday's doubleheader with the Crusaders, extended her personal win streak to eight decisions while improving to 15-6 on the year.
The Wildcats took a 7-1 lead in the opening game on Saturday, scoring twice in the second and five times in the third. A squeeze bunt by sophomore Carrina Wagner (Tacoma/Spanaway Lake HS) and a single by junior Bre Thomas (Vancouver/Columbia River HS) gave CWU its first two runs, while junior Liz Jusko (Snohomish) brought home the game's third run with an infield single in the third. Central added on four more runs in that inning, with two each scoring on a double by sophomore Elena Carter (Olympia/Black Hills HS) and on a home run by junior Molly Coppinger (Belfair/North Mason HS).
Northwest Nazarene chipped away at Central's lead with two runs in the fourth on a two-out dropped fly ball, and the Crusaders also scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth after another costly dropped pop-up.
All five runs scored against Hadenfeld in the opener were unearned, as Central Washington committed five errors defensively. NNU managed just five hits, while CWU had 10 hits including two-hit outings from Jusko, Coppinger, and senior Keilani Cruz (Tacoma/Curtis HS).
In game two, Central scored multiple runs in all four of its innings at the plate, rattling the bats for 19 hits and taking advantage of five NNU errors in posting the mercy-rule-shortened victory.
Hadenfeld entered the game in relief in the third inning with just a 6-5 lead, and proceeded to shut down the Crusaders over the final three innings, allowing just a fifth-inning home run to Chelsea Allsbrook.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats' offense continued its assault on NNU pitching. Central quickly turned a one-run lead into a five-run margin by matching the Crusaders with four in the bottom of the third, and they then put the game out of reach with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Central had four home runs in the second game, beginning with Wagner's ninth homer of the season in the third inning. They then added three round-trippers in the fourth, with Carter, Thomas, and senior Samantha Petrich (Chehalis/W.F. West HS) all plating two runs on their home runs. Thomas' home run was an inside-the-park homer, as she and Carter were both credited with their first four-baggers of the season. Petrich's two-run shot capped a 3 for 4 game in which the shortstop drove in six runs.
After being held hitless in game one, Petrich and senior Kelsey Haupert (Olympia/Black Hills HS) combined to go 7 for 8 with seven RBI and five runs scored in the series finale. Coppinger added three more hits in as many at-bats, also scoring three runs, while Thomas finished with a three-hit game. Carter was 2 for 3 with three RBI.
Arielle Chao and Liz Beaty both had three hits in game two, combining for nearly half of Northwest Nazarene's 13 hits in the contest.
Central Washington will return to the road for four games next week, visiting Simon Fraser and Western Washington on Thursday (Apr. 21) and Friday (Apr. 22), respectively. The Wildcats will then play 10 of their final 12 games at home.
