Box Score vs. Sonoma State
Box Score vs. Cal Baptist

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 10) -- Junior ELENA CARTER (Olympia/Black Hills HS) had two hits including a home run in the opening game, and senior CARRINA WAGNER (Tacoma/Spanaway Lake HS) followed with two hits in game two, but the Central Washington University softball team came away empty-handed on Friday, falling to Sonoma State University (6-3) and to California Baptist University (4-1) on the opening night of the Third Annual MSUB Desert Stinger at Majestic Park.

The Wildcats fell to 0-2 on the season, and are now 2-5 all-time in Desert Stinger games after making their tournament debut in 2011.

In the opener against Sonoma State, CWU fell behind 2-0 in the first inning but rallied to tie the game in the fourth. Carter led off the inning with a solo home run to center field, and after a one-out double by senior LIZ JUSKO (Snohomish), pinch-runner JORDAN ZURFLUH (Adna) stole third and scored on an infield error to knot the game at 2-2. The tie was short-lived, though, as the Seawolves (4-0) scored a single run in the fourth and three more in the fifth for a 6-2 lead. The Wildcats added their final run in the top of the seventh inning, as senior BRE THOMAS (Vancouver/Columbia River HS) drove home freshman SHELBY YASUDA (Woodinville) with a RBI double.

Central Washington was outhit by an 8-6 count, with Carter collecting the lone multi-hit game for the Wildcats. Sophomore pitcher MARIA GAU (Woodinville) went 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs (two earned) to suffer the loss.

Samantha Lepp was 2 for 2 for Sonoma State, and was one of three Seawolves to homer in the contest. Skylynn Myers and Shannon Kehr hit back-to-back home runs in the three-run fifth.

In the finale against California Baptist, Central Washington fell behind 3-0 after allowing single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. The Wildcats plated their only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Zurfluh drove in junior shortstop KYLEEN SWEEPE (North Bend/Mount Si HS) with a one-out RBI single. Sweepe was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt.

A low-hitting affair, the two teams combined for just nine hits, with Cal Baptist holding a 5-4 advantage. Wagner had two of the Wildcats' four hits -- a fourth-inning double and a sixth-inning single. Zurfluh and Jusko had Central's other two hits.

Pinch-hitter Danae Leiser homered in the sixth inning for the Lancers, while leadoff hitter Lindsay Henry was 2 for 3.

CWU freshman HEIDY WELLS (Tacoma/Stadium HS) allowed just four hits over 5 1/3 innings of work, with two of the four runs she surrendered being earned. She walked four and struck out three in her collegiate debut.

Central Washington will return to action with two more games on Saturday. The Wildcats face Dixie State College of Utah at 11:30 a.m. and Western New Mexico University at 7 p.m. before wrapping up tournament action versus California State University, Monterey Bay on Sunday (Feb. 12) at 2 p.m.