PORTLAND, Ore. (Mar. 26) – The Central Washington University softball team finished its Oregon road swing by sweeping Concordia University by scores of 8-4 and 3-2 to improve to 21-8 on the season and 9-7 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Concordia falls to 17-12, 5-5 in the GNAC.
The Wildcats got a big day from the top two hitters in their lineup. Leadoff hitter Celine Fowler went 4 for 9 and Kailyn Campbell, hitting in the two hole, went 6 for 9.
"We pitched well, played excellent defense and swung the bats extremely well," CWU Head Coach Mike Larabee said. "We did some number crunching and switched our lineup up a little bit and it certainly paid off today."
Pitcher Kiana Wood picked up a save in game one and earned the complete game victory in the second game of the twinbill to improve to 11-3 on the season. Prior to this weekend Wood had one just one of her last three starts after starting the season 9-0.
"I am very proud of the way Kiana came out and competed this weekend," Larabee said. "We changed her pattern of pitching a little bit, throwing more rise balls and change ups. Just like hitters, pitchers go into funks too and it is nice to see her break out of it."
The Wildcats scored three runs in the first and fourth innings to take a 6-0 lead in game one.
Central Washington led off the first inning with three-consecutive hits by Celine Fowler, Kailyn Campbell and Alexa Olague, with Olague's being a run scoring double. Two batters later Andrea Hamada plated Olague on a sacrifice fly and Brielle Copodonna followed with a run scoring single.
Sammy Morris led of the fourth inning with a triple to centerfield, and scored on a Taylor Ferleman's fielder choice. Fowler singled for the second time in the contest before Campbell also reached on a base hit up the middle scoring Ferleman from second base. Austin Wilkerson finished off the inning with a single to left field giving the Wildcats a commanding 6-0 lead.
The Cavaliers scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning, aided by a leadoff double. Concordia added two more runs in the fifth inning to cut the CWU lead to 6-3.
The Wildcats responded as Fowler led off the sixth inning with a triple and scored on Campbell's fourth hit of the game. After an Olague walk Campbell was plated on a throwing error by the catcher to give CWU an 8-4 advantage.
Kiana Wood closed things out for the Wildcats, shutting the door on the Cavaliers hopes of a comeback and ensuring the game one victory and earning her second save of the season.
Copodonna started in the circle for CWU and earned her sixth win of the season.
Fowler went 3 for 5 in the contest with three runs scored, while Campbell was 4 for 5 with two RBI. Morris also collected three safeties in the contest.
In game two, CU got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Wildcats answered with two runs in the second inning an a RBI triple by Ferleman and a single by Fowler to take a 2-1 edge.
The Wildcats scored again in the third inning on a Hamada single that game the Wildcats its third and much needed run.
The Wildcats outhit the Cavaliers 10-6 in game two, as Wood held CU to just two hits over the final four innings to earn her 11th win of the season and her fourth complete game.
Campbell added two more hits in the nightcap, along with Hamada, while Ferleman went a perfect 3 for 3 with a RBI and a run.
The Wildcats next travel to Turlock, Calif. on Apr. 1-3 for six games against the CCAA and PacWest.
"I am really looking forward to Turlock," Larabee added. "I love good competition and so do our players. Our goal is to win the GNAC and get the automatic qualifier for the regional tournament but we want to set ourselves up to earn a spot regardless and this tournament will be a key to that."
