NAMPA, Idaho – Central Washington University softball dropped both of its games to Northwest Nazarene University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, 6-2 and 10-4.
QUOTABLE
"We need to play in front and it seems we're behind often," CWU Head Coach
Joe DiPietro said. "Only one hit in game one and we're better than that. Game two we issued 12 walks. We need to get that fixed quickly. We can't beat teams if we continue with the free passes.
GAME ONE | CWU 2, NNU 6
The Wildcats (9-14, 5-5 GNAC) managed to push a run across in both the fifth and sixth innings, after the Nighthawks' (17-11, 5-3 GNAC) Sidney Booth (9-5) held the Wildcats hitless through the first five innings.
Central's only hit of the game was a solo home run from
Alyssa Benthagen in the sixth. Central scored their first run an inning earlier. A pair of walks and a fielder's choice, without an out, loaded the bases.
Harlee Carpenter grounded out to drive home
Jillian Hampson from third.
A pair of singles and a ground out brought around three runs for NNU in the first. Abigail Gagnon hit a solo shot in the bottom of the third, while an RBI single in the sixth rounded out the Nighthawks' scoring.
Rhaney Harris (4-7) went the distance. She allowed nine hits, six runs, one walk, and one struck out one.
GAME TWO | CWU 4, NNU 10
Northwest Nazarene scored seven runs in the fourth to spark a 10-4 victory in game two.
Isabel Womack (4-2) was charged with the loss. Over 3.1 innings of work, she allowed six runs on two hits and two walks. Giana Skinner (2-2) earned the win in relief, hurling 4.2 innings. She allowed just one run on four hits.
NNU scored a run in both the first and second innings for a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats struck back in the third.
Allie Thiessen singled home
Keegan Wise to halve the deficit.
Benthagen reached on an error a few batters later, allowing Carpenter to score. An RBI single from
Myiah Seaton capped the scoring and gave CWU a 3-2 lead.
Central's lead unraveled an inning later. A brief rain delay beset the contest and when play resumed NNU came up swinging. They scored seven runs, including three-run double, for a 10-3 lead through four. They tacked on another run in the fifth with a solo home run.
The Wildcats' final run came on a two-out solo blast from Thiessen in the seventh.
UP NEXT
Central Washington hosts Simon Fraser University on Saturday (March 26) and Sunday (March 27) in GNAC play.
