St. George, Utah – The Central Washington University softball team (5-6, 0-0 GNAC) split its games against St. Mary's (TX) and Metro State Denver. 
 
"I think the key thing for us is to keep working on our consistency," CWU Head Coach Alison Mitchell said.  "Our approaches at the plate were way better in game one.  Defensively, we were much better and more focused.  Lexie bought in well with the sequences and did her job in the circle."
 
Harlee Carpenter started off the game, driving a 2-0 offering deep to right for her first career homerun and a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
 
St. Mary's responded in the bottom half of the inning.  A bases loaded single levelled the score at 1-1. 
 
The Crimson and Black went back to work in the top of the second and scored in every inning of the game, except the seventh.  In the second, Alee Cruz singled through the left side to bring around Seaton and Gracee Dwyer.  It was Maddy Zerr in the third inning, she slipped a single through the left side to score Carpenter.
 
Central brought Dwyer around from third in the fourth when Cruz stole second and the throw from the plate sailed, putting CWU ahead 5-1.  In the fifth inning, Carpenter continued to frustrate opposing pitching as she reached, and alter scored on a single from Julia Reuble, by a walk.  Adriana Lomeli-Smith ran for Reuble and scored on a double from Alyssa Benthagen. The Wildcats weren't done there.  St. Mary's went to the bullpen, trying to stymie the Wildcats' offense.   A single from Dwyer then brought around Theresa Moyle.  Not wanting to let the offense drift quiet, Paige Liikala laced a single through the left, driving around Dwyer for a 9-1 advantage.
 
After the first inning, Strasser held St. Mary's bats quiet until the fifth inning.  A two-out single, aided by an error, brought around a pair to cut the Wildcats' lead to 9-3. 
 
In the top of the sixth, Reuble drove in a pair of runs with a single through the right side.  St. Mary's added a pair of runs in the sixth on four hits. 
 
Isabel Womack came on for the final inning, sending St. Mary's down in just 11 pitches.  Two batters went do by way of a strikeout.
 
Game two did not go the Wildcats' way. The Roadrunners tallied once in the first, twice in the third, and brought home a quartet in the fourth.  They tacked on two more in the top of the sixth to secure a 9-1 victory.
 
"I thought Izzy [Womack] had a solid start in the circle and continues to show growth," Mitchell said afterward.  "Taylor came in for relief and threw really well.  We competed all game and gave effort."
 
Central's lone run came in the fourth inning.  Alycia Bannan reached on a throwing error and Cruz scored on the play.
 
The Wildcats are back in action tomorrow for their final game of the Dixie State Courtyard Classic.  First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. MT against Western New Mexico.