LACEY, Wash. (Apr. 30) -- The Central Washington University softball team defeated Western Oregon 11-2 in game one of the Great Northwest Athletic Tournament, forcing a final game.  Western Oregon came into today without a loss in the double elimination format.
 
The winner of this afternoon's final will be crowned GNAC Tournament Champion and get a automatic berth into the NCAA West Regional Tournament.
 
Kayla Smith picked up her third win in as many games, allowing five hits and struck out four batters.
 
Western Oregon took a 2-0 advantage on a two-run homerun by Lexi Jennings in the second inning.
 
As they have done all year long, the Wildcats responded with a six-run third inning totaling six hits highlighted by a two-run double by Andrea Hamada and a run scoring two-baser by Kailyn Campbell as the Wildcats went ahead 6-2.  Taylor Ferleman added to the CWU lead by adding a run on a RBI single in the fourth to put the Wildcats up 7-2.
 
Austin Wilkerson put a stamp on the offensive outing for CWU with a grandslam homerun in the top of the fifth.  After Campbell and Alexa Olague both reached after getting hit by a pitch Wilkerson took the second pitch she saw over the left centerfield wall to put the Wildcats up 11-2.
 
Smith put the Wolves down in the bottom of the fifth securing the 11-2 victory.
 
Celine Fowler went 3 for 4 in the contests with two runs scored and Wilkerson went 1 for 3 with four RBI, all coming on her fifth inning blast.