ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 25)  -- The Central Washington University softball team earned a split with Western Oregon University in two low scoring games.  The Wolves defeated the Wildcats 3-2 on a walk-off homerun in game one and the Wildcats took game two 2-1 behind a strong pitching performance from Kiana Wood.
 
With the split, Central Washington is now 19-8 on the season and an even 7-7 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  Western Oregon stands 11-14, 4-6 in the GNAC.
 
The Wildcats got on the board first in the opener with Kailyn Campbell driving home Celine Fowler on a double to left field, and Andrea Hamada scored Taylor Ferleman on a double of her own in the second inning to put the Wildcats up 2-0.
 
Western Oregon right fielder Emma Alfonso hit a solo homerun in the third inning to cut the CWU lead to just 2-1.
 
The Wildcats, who had just four hits in the game, had just one hit in the final four innings and entered the bottom of the seventh with a 2-1 lead.
 
Central Washington starting pitcher Kayla Smith walked the first batter of the inning and was relieved by Kiana Wood.
 
Wood quickly got two outs, and with a runner on third base, Alfonso sent a long fly ball to right field that caught the glove of CWU outfielder Michaela Hazlett.  However, Hazlett crashed into the outfield wall and the ball was flung over the right field wall and ruled a homerun, allowing the Wolves the 3-2 walk-off victory.
 
Smith gave up seven hits over six innings, allowing two runs with two strikeouts and one walk.
 
Central Washington again scored in the first inning of the nightcap on a RBI single by Brielle Copodonna.
 
The game went scoreless from that point until the sixth inning when Taelor Griffin drove in Campbell on a pinch-hit single up the middle to put CWU up 2-0.  The Wolves added a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth to make it a one-run ball game.
 
Copodonna shut down the WOU bats in the seventh inning, putting them down in order to secure the 2-1 victory and recording her first save of the season.
 
Wood got the starts for the Wildcats in game two and gave up one run in five innings of work and struck out a season high eight batter.  She improves to 10-3 on the season.
 
The Wildcats will head to Concordia University – Portland to take on the Cavaliers tomorrow, Mar. 26 starting at 1 p.m.