ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington University softball heads into its penultimate series of the season against Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Washington. First pitch is scheduled for noon on both Friday (Apr. 15) and Saturday (Apr. 16).
 
QUOTABLE
"We have two conference weekends remaining so it's very important that we have a good weekend against a very good Wester Washington team," CWU Head Coach Joe DiPietro said. "It will be a very challenging weekend but I think we'll respond and play solid softball."
 
SCOUTING WESTERN WASHINGTON
The Vikings took three out of four from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. Western Washington held Simon Fraser to two or fewer runs in each of their victories. They are 23-16 overall and 9-3 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Leading Western's offense with an average of .430 is Chantelle Shimabukuro. She has an OPS of 1.140, with seven doubles, three triples, and three home runs. Shimabukuro as driven in 26 runs and scored 22 times. Her on-base parentage is a team-high .504, 74 points higher than her batting average. Tatum Dow is hitting .381 on the season and has been near impossible to strikeout. Dow has gone down by way of the K just twice in 134 at-bats. She has walked 12 times and recorded one sacrifice in 145 plate appearances. Dakota Brooks leads the Viks' in both home runs (5) and runs batted in (31). She is hitting at a clip of .350 with an OPS of .987. As a team, Western Washington is hitting .307 with an on-base percentage of .369. They have hit 22 home runs, driven in 155, and scored a total of 172 runs.
 
In the circle, Sydney Brown, Kira Doan, and Joie Baker have split time. Baker has made a team-high 14 starts, while Doan leads in appearances (25). Brown has thrown a team-high three shutouts, eight complete games, and leads the Viks' with an ERA of 3.27. Brown is 7-2 on the year with a WHIP of 1.11 over 66 innings. She has struck out 55 and walked 29. Opposing teams are hitting just .187 against her and she allowed just one home run. Doan is 8-6 with an ERA of 4.17 and a WHIP of 1.27. She has tossed 101.1 innings with an opposing average against of .225. Baker, meanwhile, is 8-7 on the year with an ERA of 5.42. Through 79.2 innings, she has a WHIP of 1.27 and an opposing average against of .275. As a unit, the Vikings have an ERA of 4.64, a WHIP of 1.36, and an average against of .244.
 
The last meeting between the Vikings and Wildcats came on May 19, 2021 at the West Region Tournament. The Wildcats claimed a 9-5 victory over Western Washington in an elimination game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Central enters the week with a record of 16-20, including a 7-9 mark in GNAC play. They dropped three games at Saint Martin's University in their last series.
 
The 'Cats took game two, 8-0, behind Isabel Womack's nine strikeouts. She allowed just three hits and one walk in six innings.
 
Rhaney Harris (9-9) and Tia Ridings (7-6) were locked in a pitcher's duel in the series opener. Harris held the Saints to one run through five, while Ridings had a no-hitter through the first five innings. A 45-minute rain delay upended both performances. Ridings finished with a shutout, but allowed four hits. Following the rain delay, Saint Matin's picked up a pair of runs for a 3-0 victory.
 
Allie Thiessen leads the Crimson and Black at the plate. She's hitting .402 on the year, with an OBP of .470. Thiessen also leads the 'Cats in OPS (.991), runs scored (33), and is tied for the team-lead in total bases (61). Alyssa Benthagen has been the Wildcats' best power hitter on the season, clubbing seven home runs. She has a team-high 27 runs batted in and is second in slugging (.517). Central is hitting .284 as a team. The Wildcats have scored 166 runs, driving in 135 of them.
 
On the base path, Central has swiped 37 bases in 42 chances. Karysn Decker is a perfect 13-for-13, while Myiah Seaton is 11-for-12.
 
Harris leads the Crimson and Black in the circle. Over 112 innings, she has posted an ERA of 3.38, a WHIP of 1.46, and tossed 12 complete games, while striking out 55. Opponents are hitting .292 off the right-hander in 19 appearances. Womack is now 6-6 on the year with an ERA of 4.17, and a WHIP of 1.83, over 82.1 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting just .245 against Womack, who has recorded 57 strikeouts.