MONMOUTH, Ore. (April 19) – The Central Washington University softball team saw its hopes for a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament berth take a huge blow, losing two games to Western Oregon University 1-2 and 3-4 Sunday afternoon at the WOU softball field.

The Wildcats (18-21, 9-11 GNAC) were just one game behind WOU (20-25, 12-8 GNAC) for the fourth and final playoff spot heading into the day, but with both losses now sit three games behind the Wolves with four games left in the regular season.

The Wildcats forced extra innings in game one and held a 3-1 lead in game two, but were unable to secure a victory on the day.

Game 1 – 1-2 Loss (8 innings)

The Wolves took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, scoring an unearned run off CWU starting pitcher Kiana Wood, when Wildcat shortstop Andrea Hamada mishandled a groundball that allowed a WOU runner to score from second base.

Sammy Morris led off the sixth inning with a single for CWU and advanced to second and a sacrifice but by Celine Fowler.  Two batters later, catcher Austin Wilkerson plated Morris with a RBI single to centerfield to tie the game up.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Wolves threatened to score but Wood ended any chances for WOU striking out her 11^th batter of the game with a runner on second to end the inning.

After the Wildcats went down in order in the top of the eighth, the Wolves got back-to-back singles and had a runner in scoring position with one out.  Wood forced a short fly out to right field, but Shelby Yasuada's attempt to throw out the runner from second base flew over the head of third baseman Andrea Hamada allowing the winning run to cross the plate.

Wood was magnificent in the circle allowing just six hits in 7.2 innings of work with a season high 11 strikeout.

Notable Game 1 Performances:
Katie Focher – 2-for-3
Austin Wilkerson – 1-for-3, RBI
Sammy Morris – 1-for-3, run
 
Game 2 – 3-4 Loss

The Wildcats struck first scoring on a RBI groundout by Kailyn Campbell that scored Morris.  The Wolves responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first inning. 

Morris and Celine Fowler led off the third inning with back-to-back singles and the patient Wildcat hitters earned three walks which led to two free runs for CWU as they moved ahead 3-1.  In the bottom half WOU again answered scoring one run on two hits to cut the CWU lead to 3-2.

In the fifth inning the Wolves loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a fielder's choice.  The Wolves followed with a RBI single, but a double play by and a pop out later limited the WOU inning leaving the game tied 3-3 heading into the sixth inning.

Laura Steiner and Yasuda lead off the sixth with a pair of singles, bringing up the top of the CWU lineup. But the Wildcats were unable to move runners around, stranding two runs on base in the frame.

The first two batters of the sixth inning and eventually scored a run a base hit up the middle to take a 4-3 lead going into the final inning.
The Wildcats went down in order in the seventh inning ending any chances of a comeback.

Notable Game 2 Performances
Sammy Morris – 2-for-3, run
Laura Steiner – 2-for-3
 
The Wildcats next host Western Washington University and Simon Fraser University next Friday and Sunday and have to win all four games and have Western Oregon get swept by Montana State Billings to secure a GNAC Tournament berth.