LACEY, Wash. (April 18) – The Central Washington University senior
Katie Focher hit two homeruns Saturday afternoon, but the softball team lost two close fought battles against conference leading Saint Martin's University by scores of 2-1 and 4-3.
Focher hit a solo homerun in each game doubling her season total that now sits at four.
The Wildcats, who entered the day in fourth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, fall to 18-19 on the season (9-9 GNAC) and back into fifth-place behind Western Oregon. The Saints improve to 36-16, 16-4 in the GNAC.
Game 1 -- 1-2 Loss Saint Martin's went ahead 2-0 scoring runs in both the second and third innings and Focher closed the gap with the first of her two homeruns in the top of the fourth inning.
The Saints starting pitcher Sam Munger allowed the Wildcats to reach base just once the remainder of the contests with
Shelby Yasuda singling the left field. Munger threw all seven innings for the saints allowing five hits with three strikeouts and just one walk.
Central Washington Starter
Kiana Wood was equally impressive also allowing just five hits while fanning four batters.
Although both teams totaled five hits, the Wildcats had only one go for extra bases while the Saints hit three doubles.
Game 2 – 3-4 Loss The Wildcats held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to Focher's second long ball of the day and a
Sammy Morris single that plated
Alexa Olague. The Saints answered back scoring one run in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 2-2.
In the fifth inning, freshman
Celine Fowler led off with a single to left field and later scored on a single by
Andrea Hamada allowing the Wildcats to regain a one-run advantage.
The score remained 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Saints got the first two batters on with a single and a Wildcat error. Munger then hit a single to centerfield that plated a runner and another runner advanced to third on another error by CWU. After intentionally walking the bases loaded SMU first baseman Dani Wall singled home the winning run.
The Wildcats racked up 11 hits, but again all but one were singles. The only inning the Wildcats had more than two hits was the fourth inning, where they scored twice on four safeties.
The Wildcats will get a chance to jump back into fourth place tomorrow when they take on Western Oregon who is just one game ahead of CWU in the standings. Only the top four teams get a chance to participate in the GNAC Tournament held in Yakima, Wash. on April 30 - May 2.
