ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University softball team scored 20 runs as they took games of their doubleheader against Humboldt State University, 8-5 and 12-10.
 
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"Our bats were alive today," CWU Head Coach Alison Mitchell said afterward. "There were a lot of good things going on at the plate. Lyci [Bannan] had a huge day, she's making a huge push to be someone we need in the lineup every game. We need a better day in the circle tomorrow and better defense, if we can put all the facets together we'll another good day."
 
GAME ONE | Humboldt State 5, Central Washington 8
Six different Wildcats drove in runs during the opening game. Maddy Zerr gave Central a 1-0 advantage in the first, bringing Harlee Carpenter in to score and move Theresa Moyle to third. A batter later, Alyssa Benthagen laced a single to right to make it 2-0.
 
Humboldt State got a run back in the second, but the 'Cats responded in kind. Allie Thiessen brought home Alycia Bannan with a single up the middle. Later in the inning, a single up the middle from Moyle brought Thiessen around for a 4-1 lead.
 
The 'Cats struck again in the third. Bannan roped a single to center field with Benthagen and Sydney Brown aboard. The throw from center was offline and caromed down the third base line, allowing both runners to score.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, the 'Jacks struck in the fifth. A lead-off triple set the table for Vanessa Saltos to drive in a run with a single. The next batter, Micaela Harris, tripled to drive in Saltos. Ava Hand then brought around Hariis with a single. Lexi Strasser came out of bullpen and retired three of the next four hitters to quell the damage at 6-4.
 
Undeterred, the Wildcats' struck back in the fifth. Alee Cruz sent a pitch back up the middle for a single, scoring Bannan and Brown. Humboldt State pushed one more across in the seventh, but Strasser was able to nail down her first save of the season with a ground out. She forced seven ground outs in three innings of work.
 
Ashlee Laver (2-1) earned the win. She went four innings and allowed four runs, on seven hits.
 
GAME TWO | Humboldt State 10, Central Washington 12
Game two was a slug fest from start to finish. After a scoreless top of the first, the Wildcats struck five times.
 
Bannan opened the scoring with a single to right, scoring Thiessen and Carpenter. Later in the inning, Dwyer wore a pitch with the bases loaded to force home Bannan. Myiah Seaton came around to score on a wild pitch, before Thiessen worked a bases loaded walk a few batters later.
 
Humboldt State pulled back within two in the second inning. Katelyn Dendas drove in Izzy Starr with a single, before a sacrifice fly from Saltos scored Mullins. Harris then reached on an error, allowing Dendas to cross the plate.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Seaton made it 6-3 with a double to right to score Moyle. Brown followed suit with a double of her own, driving in both Bannan and Seaton.
 
A solo home run from Starr in the top of the third made it 8-4 in favor of Central Washington. The Crimson and Black wasted no time in responding as Bannan drove in Moyle with a triple in the bottom half.
 
Megan Holt kept the Wildcats in check in the fourth and fifth innings for Humboldt, allowing the 'Jacks to pull within two. A single from Harris brought two runs around in the fourth, before Haley Suter doubled home another in the fifth to bring the score to 9-7.  
 
Dywer was back at it in the sixth, tripling to center and driving in Seaton to take a 10-7 lead. A pinch-hit single from Zerr drove in both Seaton and Sasha Mitchell for a 12-10 lead.
 
The 'Jacks got three back with a home run to left center, cutting Central's lead to 12-10. Strasser retired the next three hitters to seal the victory.
 
Rhaney Harris (5-1) recorded the victory in the circle. He allowed just three earned runs in four innings of work.
 
Nine different Wildcats recorded at least one hit and eight scored at least one run. Bannan drove in three runs, while Brown, Dwyer, and Zerr each drove in two. Mitchell worked three walks at the dish. Seaton scored a trio of times, while Bannan and Boyle scored twice.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats host one more game against Humboldt State with first pitch scheduled for 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Apr. 11) at Frederick Field.
 
SPECTATORS PROHIBITED
Per Washington state, Kittitas County Health Board, and the GNAC spectators will not be allowed at events.  Schedules are subject to change at any time pending decisions from the health board and other local and regional authorities.