LAS VEGAS (Feb. 3) – Theresa Moyle swatted a game-tying home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, before propelling the Central Washington University softball team (2-1) to a 6-1 win over Stanislaus State (1-2).
 
"This weekend 51 percent of our at-bats were quality at-bats," CWU Head Coach Mike Larabee said.  "We hit the ball hard all weekend.  We expect excellence and we were able to do that in two of the three games.  We would obviously have liked to get all five games in, but we performed well in two games.  I'll count the other game as an anomaly.  It's a great way to start the season."
 
The Warriors opened the scoring in the top of the fourth, after Lexi Strasser had held their bats quiet for the first half of the game.  A one-out double gave Stanislaus a 1-0 lead, but it didn't last long.
 
Moyle worked a 2-0 count and took the ensuing offering over the left field wall, leveling the score at 1-1. 
 
"Theresa [Moyle] was phenomenal, not just her bat, but also on defense.  She was blocking everything," Larabee added.
 
Strasser set the Warriors down in short order in the top of the fifth, priming the Wildcats for a big offensive push.
 
Rachael Johnson led off with a single, before stealing second base.  Savannah Egbert then reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.  Egbert followed Johnson's lead and stole second as well.  Katie Kastning worked the count full before fouling off a pair of pitches to draw a walk, loading the bases for Alycia Bannan.  She also worked a full-count walk, forcing home Johnson from third, and giving Central a 2-1 lead. 
 
After a foul out, Moyle stepped back in with the bases loaded and one out.  She roped the first pitch she saw down the right field line, clearing the bases for a triple.  A muffed throw by the cut-off woman allowed Moyle to race home for a 6-1 Wildcat advantage.  She finished with a pair of hits and four runs batted in.
 
Strasser went back to work in the circle, setting the Warriors down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory.  On the weekend, Strasser hurled 15 innings and allowed just one earned run, while striking out eight.  She allowed just three hits against the Warriors.
 
Softball is back in action on Tuesday (Feb. 5) for a pair of games in St. George, Utah.  The Wildcats take on Dixie State at noon, before playing Hawaii Hilo at 4:00 p.m.