Ellensburg, Wash. (Jan. 31) – The Central Washington University softball team opens their season in Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend. The Wildcats will take part in the MSUB Desert Stinger, playing five games in three days.
GAME INFORMATION:
Friday, Feb. 1 | 2:00 p.m.
vs. Hawai'i Hilo
Las Vegas, Nev. | Majestic Park
Friday, Feb. 1 | 4:30 p.m.
vs. CSU San Bernardino
Las Vegas, Nev. | Majestic Park
Saturday, Feb. 2 | 2:00 p.m.
vs. Humboldt State
Las Vegas, Nev. | Majestic Park
Saturday, Feb. 2 | 7:00 p.m.
vs. San Francisco State
Las Vegas, Nev. | Majestic Park
Sunday, Feb. 3 | 11:30 a.m.
vs. Stanislaus
Las Vegas, Nev. | Majestic Park
MSUB DESERT STINGER
The 10th-annual MSUB Desert Stinger Softball Tournament brings together some of the top NCAA Division II softball teams in the United States for a three-day tournament at Majestic Park in Las Vegas. The 2019 tournament features 24 NCAA Division II softball programs.
QUOTEABLE
"Our team is very excited to get the 2019 spring season going," CWU head coach
Mike Larabee said. "We have been eagerly anticipating our opening game versus Hawaii-Hilo since we started back in early January. Our confidence level going into the spring season is very high as our preparation has been outstanding. I'm excited about our pitching, ability to hit and play a high level of catch. The competition level is outstanding which makes for an even better opening tournament. Our players have the mindset that to be the best you must play the best. I fully expect our team to play with excellence."
GNAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Wildcats finished two points shy of claiming the top spot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Wildcats won their third straight regular-season conference championship a season ago. Northwest Nazarene were able to tie the Wildcats, earning a share of that title. The Nighthawks received five of the eight possible first place votes as the Wildcats picked up the three remaining.
LAST SEASON
Savannah Egbert earned First Team All-GNAC and First Team NFCA All-West Region honors after she finished second in the league with a .453 batting average. In addition to her 72 hits and .516 slugging percentage, Egbert set a CWU record with 30 stolen bases. Lexi Strasser earned First Team All-GNAC honors and rivaled Adams for top freshman honors after finishing with an 18-10 record and 2.91 earned run average. The Wildcats welcome back
Katie Kastning, a First Team All-GNAC selection as a freshman, and a Second Team All-GNAC selection
Rachael Johnson.
NEW TO THE TEAM
The Wildcats have added five new freshmen.
Gracee Dwyer, Keagan Wise and
Sydney Williams make up the new position players. Dwyer hails from University High School. Through her junior season, Dwyer hit .543 with 21 homeruns and 105 runs batted in. She was an All Greater Spokane League infielder in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Wise enters the program from Banks High School. As a junior, she recorded a .557 batting average, 44 hits, 12 RBIs, and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. She has also stolen a total of 73 bases while playing for the Braves. The team won the 4A state title in 2016.
Isabel Womack and
Samantha Stanfield forecast to make an immediate impact in the circle for the Wildcats. Womack pitched a total of 415 innings with a 42-18 record for Glencoe High School and has registered 495 strikeouts and a 1.39 ERA through her junior season. She has earned Metro All-League recognition three times, including being named to the first team as a junior and second team as a freshman.
Stanfield tied the single game strikeout record at Montesano High School with 18 strikeouts during the state district game. Through her leadership, the Bulldogs made three-consecutive appearances in the Washington 1A State Championships, coming away with the title in 2017 and 2015. She earned recognition as the 1A All-State Pitcher of the Year and the Evergreen Defensive MVP. Stanfield also tied the homerun record with seven homeruns, while hitting .458 for the season. She also earned First-Team All-State and All-League recognition as a pitcher in 2016.
