Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. (Apr. 6) -- The Central Washington University softball team managed seven hits, including two each from seniors BRE THOMAS (Vancouver/Columbia River HS) and LIZ JUSKO (Snohomish), but the Wildcats were unable to overcome a five-run second inning in falling to host Montana State University Billings, 9-1 in six innings on Friday afternoon at Cenex Stadium.

The Wildcats fell to 12-20 overall and 8-12 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, while MSUB improved to 25-8 overall and 18-3 in the conference.

The game, which was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. Mountain Time start and as part of a doubleheader, didn't get underway until 4 p.m. and was played in 35-degree weather at Cenex Stadium. The second game of the twinbill was postponed to Saturday, when the two teams will play a tripleheader beginning at 10 a.m. Mountain Time.

CWU sophomore MARIA GAU (Woodinville) threw a scoreless first inning before allowing a leadoff home run to Jenna VanEykeren in the second inning. Two walks and an error opened the door for the Yellowjackets to score four more runs -- all unearned -- for a 5-0 lead as two-run hits by Rose Harrington (single) and Meg Harasymczuk (double) extended the lead.

MSUB scored twice in the fifth on a two-run home run by Annaleisha Parsley, but CWU staved off the mercy rule defeat and broke the shutout in the top of the sixth after loading the bases with nobody out. Senior NATASHA WOOD (Graham/Graham-Kapowsin HS) reached on an infield single, and Jusko and freshman HEIDY WELLS (Tacoma/Stadium HS) followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases, but the Wildcats managed just one run -- on a dropped infield fly ball off the bat of junior ELENA CARTER (Olympia/Black Hills HS).

Montana State Billings scored the final two runs and completed the eight-run victory in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Harrington tripled with one out. She and pinch-runner Olivia Heidinger then both scored on a walk-off triple from Emily Osborn.

Central Washington had multiple-hit games from Thomas and Jusko, while Wood, Wells, and Carter also had singles. Montana State Billings finished with nine hits, including five for extra bases, led by a 3 for 4 outing from Harrington.