ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University softball team (8-8, 4-2 GNAC) split its doubleheader against Saint Martin's University (9-9, 1-5 GNAC) by scores of 9-8 and 8-6.
GAME ONE | Saint Martin's 8, Central Washington 9
Sydney Brown came around to score on a walk-off bunt single by
Gracee Dwyer in the bottom of the seventh, as
Rhaney Harris (4-1) went the distance to earn the win.
A pair of bases loaded ground outs and an RBI single gave Saint Martin's an 3-0 lead after the opening frame.
Maddy Zerr notched an RBI single of her own in the bottom half of the inning, driving around
Allie Thiessen.
The bats went quiet until Saint Martin's struck again in the fourth with another crooked number. A two-run double to right center started the scoring in the fourth inning. They tacked on another on a fielder's choice, before a two-out single to left made it 7-1.
Alee Cruz brought around
Sasha Mitchell in the fifth inning on a groundout, then
Theresa Moyle tripled to right center to score
Harlee Carpenter.
In the sixth inning,
Sydney Brown singled through the left side to advance
Makenna King. An error in the outfield allowed King to score on the play, making it 7-4 in favor of Saint Martin's. After the Wildcats loaded the bases,
Alycia Bannan drew a pinch-hit walk to force in a run. Carpenter drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to right center field, before Moyle levelled the score at 7-7 with a single through the left side.
A solo home run in the top of the seventh put the Saints back ahead by one, 8-7. In the game's final frame,
Alyssa Benthagen led off with a single and was lifted for pinch runner
Keegan Wise. Brown singled to left, moving Wise to second, and an error allowed Wise to scurry home to tie the game at 8-8. Brown moved to second on the play, putting a runner in scoring position for Dwyer. With no outs, Dwyer looked to move Brown over via a sacrifice bunt. Her bunt did the job, moving Brown to third, and she reached for an infield single. After advancing to third, Brown took a chance at the plate on the throw to first and sashayed past a tag to score the winning run, walking-off 9-8.
Central Washington collected 14 hits in the opening game, with five players collecting multiple hits. Harris allowed just four earned runs and struck out three en route to the win.
GAME TWO | Saint Martin's 8, Central Washington 6
Samantha Stanfield (1-3) allowed just one earned run over seven innings, while striking out eight.
The Saints scored the first eight runs of the ball game. An RBI single in the first plated a pair of runs for an early 2-0 Saint Martin's lead. After being held scoreless in the second inning, a single, a sacrifice fly, and two errors helped push across five runs in the third inning. The final Saints' run came in the fifth on the second sacrifice fly of the game, making it 8-0 SMU.
Central Washington's offense went to work in the final three innings of the contest, trying to claw back to level pegging. Cruz brought around Dwyer with an RBI single in the fifth, before a sacrifice fly by Brown scored
Myiah Seaton in the sixth. In the seventh inning, Carpenter laced a triple down the right field line, driving home Bannan and Mitchell. Moyle then roped another triple, this one to center, scoring Carpenter. Central scored its final run on a groundout from Zerr, but Lexi Carlos was able to slam the door for her first save of the season.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats and Saints play another doubleheader tomorrow (Apr. 3) in Ellensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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.
