IRVINE, Calif. – The Central Washington University softball team takes on Concordia-Irvine in an elimination game.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Friday, May 21
Vs Concordia-Irvine
2:30 PM
Irvine, CA
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TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
 
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"This is going to be a solid matchup," CWU Head Coach Alison Mitchell said. "Postseason comes down to playing complete games in every facet and I know we are up to the challenge. It's up to us to represent the GNAC and I know we will do just that."
 
SCOUTING CONCORDIA-IRVINE
The Eagles fell to the University of Hawaii-Hilo, 4-3, in their first game of the West Regional. The Vulcans stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning, but the Eagles levelled the score at 3-3 with one swing of the bat. It wasn't until extra innings the Vulcans were able to slip past the Eagles.
 
In the second game, Irvine blanked Northwest Nazarene 9-0. They scored at least one run in every inning.
 
Irvine's offense is led by McKinsey Thorpe, who is hitting .355 on the season. She has posted an OPS of .885, hit two home runs, and driven in 23 runs. On the base path, Thorpe has scored 31 times and stolen a team-high 14 bases. Missy Nemeth leads the Eagles in home runs (8) and RBI (39). Irvine has clubbed 29 home runs as a unit and scored 213 runs.
 
Callie Nunes and Kelsea Sweeney have led the Eagles' pitching staff. Sweeney is 10-4 on the year with an ERA of 1.74 and a WHIP of 1.06. She has thrown five complete games and amassed 88.2 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .221 off her with 47 strikeouts. Nunes is 11-3 in 102.2 innings. She holds an ERA of 1.77 and a WHIP of 1.07. Nunes has also recorded three saves and holds the opposition to an average of .217. She has recorded a team-high 87 strikeouts.
 
THE WILDCATS
Central Washington is coming off a 9-5 win which eliminated Western Washington University from Regionals.
 
Central pushed across at least two runs in the second, third, and fourth innings against the Vikings. Theresa Moyle's two-run home run in the bottom of the third got the Wildcats' offense started.  Lexie Strasser tossed 3.2 innings of one-run relief to earn the victory.
 
After Maddy Zerr chased Anna Kasner from the game in the third with a single, she advanced to second on a wild pitch from Kira Doan. Alycia Bannan drove her in with a single to take a 5-4 lead. Later in the inning, Seaton hit a sacrifice fly to score Bannan and increase the difference to 6-4.
 
Central's bats weren't done and went back to work in the fourth inning. Moyle singled home Allie Thiessen from second, before scoring on a single from Zerr. Zerr then scored on a single from Bannan as the Wildcats made it 9-4.
 
Samantha Stanfield finished up the last two innings for the Wildcats to secure the victory and advance.