MONTEREY, Calif. (Mar. 25) – The Central Washington University softball team started its California road trip with a doubleheader against the Nation's fourth-ranked team in Cal State Monterey Bay, losing both contests by scores of 1-8 and 1-4 respectively.

The Wildcats drop to 14-11 on the season while the Otters improve to 25-6 on the season.  The Wildcats will get another chance against CSUMB this coming Saturday when the two teams faceoff again in the Tournament of Champions.

Game One: 1-8 Loss

The Otters took an early lead due to a Wildcat throwing error, but the Wildcats fought back in the second inning scoring a run off a Jordan Sandrini single that score Alexa Olague to knot the score at 1-1.

The game remained in the 1-1 tie until the bottom of the fifth inning where the Otters scored two runs on three hits to take a 3-1 lead. Prior to fifth inning, Wildcat starting pitcher Lindsay Kamphuis had held the CSUMB offense to just two hits.

Cal State Monterey Bay added to its lead in the sixth inning, with the Otters adding six more hits and five runs, all of which were unearned for Kamphuis as Wildcat errors allowed the inning to extend.

The Otters starting pitcher, Cori Reinhardt threw all seven innings for CSUMB and gave up just six hits, five of which came from the last three batters in the Wildcat lineup; Katie Focher (2 for 3), Sandrini (1 for 3) and Michaela Hazlett (2 for 3).  
 
Game Two – 1-4 Loss

Again, the Wildcats fell behind quickly with the Otters scoring three runs in the first inning and adding another in the second to go ahead 3-0 heading into the fourth inning.

In the fourth, the Wildcats got on the board after Kailyn Campbell reached on a infield single, followed by a long double by Austin Wilkerson, scoring Campbell.

Kiana Wood pitch in relief for the Wildcats, coming in with two runners on and one out in the first inning, and held the Otter offense in check, striking out the first batter she saw and allowing just one run over the next five and two thirds innings  with five strikeouts.

Unfortunately the Wildcat offense was unable to dig themselves out of the early hole and fell to the Otters 1-4 in the nightcap.

The Wildcats will next compete in the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif. for at least five games starting at 9 a.m. this Friday against Chico State University.