ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University softball team split its doubleheader against the Western Oregon Wolves with scores of 12-8 and 12-7.
 
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"It was a rough game one," CWU Head Coach Alison Mitchell said afterward. "I'm going to give props to Lexie [Strasser] coming in and shutting things down in game one. The way she performed in the circle was a big factor in how we came out and attacked in game two. It was great to see Alee get that big hit and open the flood gates."
 
SENIOR DAY
Prior to the game, the Wildcats honored six seniors for their careers at Central Washington. Alycia Bannan, Sydney Brown, Alee Cruz, Theresa Moyle, Lexi Strasser, and Maddy Zerr were all honored as they played in their final games at Gary and Bobbi Frederick Field.
 
GAME ONE | Western Oregon 12, Central Washington 8
The Wolves went ahead 2-0 on two-run home run from Zoie Recolan in the bottom of the first and did not look back.
 
They then scored six runs in the second inning.  A bases loaded single brought around the inning's first run, before a sacrifice fly made it 4-0. A wild pitch allowed one run to score and it was followed by a three-run shot from Chandler Bishop for an 8-0 advantage.
 
The Wildcats scored their first run in the third on a sacrifice fly from Zerr to score Harlee Carpenter.
 
Both offenses went quiet until the sixth inning. Harlee Carpenter reached on a fielder's choice, beating out the throw from second and allowing Brown to score. Myiah Seaton then laced a single down the left field line, scoring Cruz and Carpenter, cutting the deficit to just 8-6.
 
Western Oregon's offense responded in kind, pushing across four in the bottom half of the inning. Bishop singled up the middle, scoring one, before a wild pitch allowed a second run to score. Isabelle Lewis then roped a two-run double, making it 12-6.
 
Central did not go quietly, however. Alyssa Benthagen led off with a single up the middle and was lifted for pinch runner Keegan Wise. Brown took the first pitch she saw down the right field line for a double to put runners on second and third. After the next hitters were retired, Carpenter singled down the left field line on the first pitch she saw to score Wise. Brown scored when Theresa Moyle reached on an error. The Wolves were able to avert any more damage and hang on for the win.
 
Zerr drove in three runs, while Seaton and Carpenter brought home two each. Brown finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Strasser tossed 4.1 innings of relief, allowing four runs, but did quell the Wolves', who had scored eight runs in 1.2 innings prior.
 
GAME TWO | Central Washington 12, Western Oregon 7
The Wildcats' offense exploded in the sixth inning, plating seven runs. All seven runs came with two outs as they came from behind to take game two.
 
Samantha Stanfield (4-4) hurled four innings of one-run relief for the Crimson and Black, nabbing her fourth win of the season.
 
Allie Thiessen opened the game with a double to right and was followed by Carpenter, who traded places with Thiessen for a 1-0 lead. A sacrifice fly from Bannan brought Carpenter in to score. Gracee Dwyer knocked a base hit through the left side later in the inning to score Moyle and give CWU an early 3-0 lead.
 
The Wolves got two back in the bottom of the second on two wild pitches. In the fourth inning, Sydney Bowers brought Kylie Lynn around with a triple to tie the game at 3-3. Allyson Drury then singled to left, scoring Bowers. Western Oregon made it 6-3 after an RBI-single and a fielder's choice brought two more around to score.
 
Central was held off the board in the fifth inning, despite having runners in scoring position. The sixth inning, however, saw a two-out rally from the 'Cats to take a 10-6 lead.
 
Moyle reached on a one-out single and moved over to second on a bunt from Zerr. A two-out single from Bannan brought Moyle around to make it 6-4. A single from Seaton put two Wildcats aboard for Dwyer, who loaded the bases with a walk. Brown notched an infield single, scoring one, and was followed by a bases clearing three-run double from Cruz. A triple from Thiessen brought Cruz around to score and Carpenter closed the scoring for the 'Cats with a single to right to score Thiessen, giving CWU a four-run advantage.
 
Western Oregon pulled back by one in the bottom half, but it was negated by a two-run home run to dead center by Seaton in the top of the seventh.
 
Cruz finished 2-for-4, drove in three runs, and scored once. Seaton, Bannan, and Carpenter each drove in two runs. Carpenter collected four hits, while Seaton finished 3-for-3.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats head to Western Washington University for a four-game series against the Vikings on Saturday (May 1) and Sunday (May 2).