Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 12) -- Central Washington University scored all five of its runs in the first two innings, as the Wildcats held off California State University, Monterey Bay, 5-3, to claim its first softball victory of the 2012 season on Sunday afternoon at the MSUB Desert Stinger at Majestic Park.

The Wildcats finished the season-opening tournament at 1-4, while handing the Otters (8-2 overall) their only tournament defeat. CWU lost twice each on Friday (6-3 to Sonoma State and 4-1 to Cal Baptist) and Saturday (3-2 to Dixie State and 8-4 to Western New Mexico).

Seniors BRE THOMAS (Vancouver/Columbia River HS) and CARRINA WAGNER (Tacoma/Spanaway Lake HS) each had hits in each of their first two at-bats as the Wildcats built their early lead. The second of Wagner's hits was a two-run single in the second inning, which plated pinch-runner SHELBY YASUDA (Woodinville) and Thomas to push the margin to 5-1.

CWU scored three runs in the first inning -- two of which were unearned after a pair of CSUMB errors -- with RBI groundouts from junior ELENA CARTER (Olympia/Black Hills HS) junior CASSI ELLIS (East Wenatchee/Eastmont HS).

Sophomore MARIA GAU (Woodinville) was able to stave off any Otter rallies late in the game. After CSUMB made it a 5-3 score with two runs in the fourth, they had three singles in the fifth but Skyler Valdivia was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Then in the sixth, the Wildcats turned an unconventional 5-4-7 double play on a sacrifice bunt on which the Otters' baserunner attempted to go from first to third base. Gau allowed a one-out walk in the seventh but left the runner stranded at second base.

Central Washington was outhit by a 7-6 count, and each team committed two errors. Gau picked up the win to improve to 1-2 on the year, scattering all seven hits while striking out three.

Three different CSUMB players each had two-hit games, accounting for all but one of the Otters' seven hits.

Central Washington will open Great Northwest Athletic Conference action next weekend, playing a four-game series at Northwest Nazarene University on Friday (Feb. 17) and Saturday (Feb. 18). The Wildcats' home openers are scheduled for Feb. 25 versus Western Oregon University.