ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington University softball opens their 2022 slate with five games at the MSUB Desert Stinger in Tucson, Arizona.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Friday, February 11
9:30 AM
Vs Chico State
Tucson, Arizona
Lincoln Park
Field 3
LIVE STATS
 
Friday, February 11
2:30 PM
Vs Academy of Art
Tucson, Arizona
Lincoln Park
Field 2
LIVE STATS | WATCH LIVE
 
Saturday, February 12
2:30 PM
Vs Metro State
Tucson, Arizona
Lincoln Park
Field 4
LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, February 12
5:00 PM
Vs Concordia Irvine
Tucson, Arizona
Lincoln Park
Field 4
LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, February 13
12:00 PM
Vs CSU Dominguez Hills
Tucson, Arizona
Lincoln Park
Field 3
LIVE STATS
 
NOTE: Live stat links change depending on the field on which CWU is playing. The links above will direct fans to the live stat feed for field listed. Only CWU v Academy of Art on February 11 at 2:30 PM will be live streamed.

GAME TIME NOTE: All times are local to Tucson, Arizona [Mountain Standard Time (PST +1)]
 
QUOTABLE
"We're looking forward to getting back in the dirt and starting the season," CWU Head Coach Joe DiPietro said. "The team has worked extremely hard since my arrival and I'm excited for them.  Our schedule is very challenging and we're somewhat at a disadvantage since these teams opened last week and have at least five games under their belt."
 
THE DESERT STINGER
Central's opponents in Tucson represent three conferences from the PacWest, CCAA, and RMAC.
 
After not playing their 2021 season, Chico State returns in 2022. They opened the season at the Concordia Kickoff Classic in Irvine, California with a 4-1 record. The Wildcats posted a pair of shutouts against Biola and Colorado Mesa. In between the shutouts, Chico State took down Northwest Nazarene University 5-4. In their fourth game of the tournament, the Wildcats needed only five innings in a 9-1 win over Academy of Art. They dropped their final contest of the tournament to host Concordia Irvine, 3-1.
 
In four games, Reilani Pelete led the Wildcats with an average of .455 (5-for-11).She recorded a pair of doubles and drove in two runs. Brooke Larsen and Mari Takeda Bajan combined for a 3-1 record. Larsen started three games for a 2-1 record over 18 innings. She was the pitcher of record in both shutouts, exiting the tournament with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of just 0.56. Opposing hitters struggled to find success, going down on strikes 19 times, and holding an average of .155 against Larsen. She walked just one hitter. Takeda Bajan pitched just one game in relief, but her relief outing lasted 5.2 innings. She allowed just four hits and one earned run, while striking out three and not allowing a free pass.
 
Academy of Art posted a 15-13 record in 2021, including a 14-10 record in PacWest play. They posted an 0-5 record at the Concordia Kickoff Classic, including a five-inning 10-2 loss to Montana State Billings. In their second game of the tournament, Academy of Art fell to Stanislaus State 15-0 in five innings, before a 16-0 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills. They closed the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Cal State San Bernardino, following the aforementioned loss to Chico State.
 
Katie Humphreys posted a .400 average (4-for-10) in Irvine, a team-high. The Urban Knights tallied just four runs, two of which were driven in by Nina Vallejos. Both Carina Sanchez and Bethany Mitchell recorded an RBI each. The Urban Knights struggled in the circle, posting a team ERA of 13.20. A trio of arms combined for an opposing batting average against of .444. They walked 17 and struck out 23. Academy of Art allowed just one home run in their first five games, however.
 
Metro State posted a 27-7 RMAC record in 2021. Outside of conference play, the Roadrunners were 2-4 for an overall record of 29-11. Thus far in 2022, the Roadrunners have played a pair of doubleheaders against Fort Hays State and Cal Poly Humboldt. Through four games, they sit at 3-1.
 
Hannah DiFabio leads the Roadrunners' offense with a batting average of .500 (6-for-12). Five of her six hits have gone for extra bases, including two round trippers. DiFabio leads Metro State with five runs batted in. In four games, MSUD has driven in 22 runs and compiled 52 bases with just under one-third of their hits going for extra bases. Sarah Norton, Audrey Burt, and Destinee Lopez has split the duties in the circle. Norton has made two appearances, one start, on the year. Over 12 innings she is 1-0 with an ERA of 11.17 and a WHIP of 0.92. Burt is also 1-0 on the season in two appearances. She tossed a complete game in her only start so far. Burt holds an ERA of 3.32 and a WHIP of 1.11. Opposing hitters are posting an average of .185 through 6.1 innings. Lopez has made two starts and is 1-1 on the year. Through 8.2 innings, she has an ERA of 4.85 and a WHIP of 0.92. She has compiled 14 strikeouts and just two walks, alongside an opposing batting average of .194.
 
Concordia Irvine went 34-13 in 2021, including a 15-9 record in PacWest play. Their 34 wins include knocking Central Washington out of the West Regional. The Eagles are currently undefeated at 7-0. They opened 2022 as the host of the Concordia Kickoff Classic, sweeping the tournament 5-0. They then recorded a pair of wins over Montana State Billings. After a close 2-1 win over NNU, CUI blanked Cal State San Bernardino and Western Washington in back-to-back games. They closed out their tournament with a 5-3 win over No. 21 Colorado Mesa and a 3-1 win over Chico State.
 
Through seven games, Missy Nemeth is hitting .600 (9-for-15) with five runs batted in. She holds an OBP of .714. Tied for the team-lead in RBI with Nemeth is Sydney Sprinkle. In just three games and six at-bats, Sprinkle has blasted a pair of home runs. The Eagles have utilized four pitchers in the circle. Cortney Koelmans, Erika Morris, and Katlin Entrup have each made a pair of starts. They have combined for a 6-0 record. Both Morris and Entrup have made one additional relief appearance. Through 10 innings, Morris has an ERA of 1.40 and a WHIP of 0.60; she has also earned one save. Entrup, meanwhile, has an ERA of 2.33 and a WHIP of 1.20 through 15 innings. She has struck out 17 hitters and walked eight. Entrup is the only Eagle to record a complete game.
 
THE WILDCATS
The Desert Stinger will be the first time the Wildcats take the field under first year head coach Joe DiPietro with a strong core returning.
 
Central returns three seniors in pitchers Rhaney Harris and Isabel Womack, alongside outfield Keegan Wise. Harris earned ALL-GNAC honors last season. She appeared in 12 games for the 'Cats and posted a 5-1 record. In five starts, she compiled three complete games and one shutout. Harris also recorded a save and did not throw a wild pitch. Womack made nine starts, in 11 appearances, with a 3-5 record. She struck out 30 hitters. Wise appeared in 18 games for the Crimson and Black.
 
Also returning for the Wildcats is First Team All-GNAC selection Harlee Carpenter. The junior infielder started all 34 games she appeared in, posting a batting average of .370. She compiled 37 hits, 15 of which went for extra bases (8 2B, 7 3B) for a slugging percentage of .590. She struck out just 11 times in 100 at-bats and recorded a near 2:1 BB:K ratio at the plate, culminating in an on-base percentage of .475. Carpetner drove in 14 runs and stole eight bases during the 2021 campaign.
 
Allie Thiessen aims to repeat the success she had last season after posting a .346 average in 33 games. She drove in 10 runs, scored 29, reached base at a clip of .413. Joining Thiessen as a returning .300-plus hitter is Myiah Seaton. The junior infielder spent most of her time behind the plate in 2021, alongside Alyssa Benthagen. Seaton made 23 starts and hit .359 for the 'Cats. She drove in 20 runs, scored 18, and hit a pair of home runs. Benthagen finished with an average of .293 with two long balls and 15 driven in.
 
The 'Cats are bolstered by nine new faces, including Seattle U transfer Brooke Jordan. She appeared in five games at Seattle U last season, making one start against Utah. Jordan was a four-year starter in high school, earning first team all-state, First Team All-Wesco, and first team all-area after hitting .659 in 2019.
 
Eight freshmen join the CWU roster including right-handed pitcher Makayla Miller, outfielders Grace Godfrey, Karsyn Decker, and Cady Wilton, utility players Ashtyn Falor and Riana Abeshima, catcher Reese Schimmel, and infielder Janelle Gary.