BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Central Washington University softball swept its doubleheader against Western Washington University, 2-1 and 3-2.
 
QUOTABLE
"Great day with some timely hitting by Alyysa, Brooke, and Jillian," CWU Head Coach Joe DiPietro said. "Rhaney and Izzy were both outstanding today!"
 
GAME ONE | CWU 2, WWU 1
Alyssa Benthagen lifted the Wildcats (18-20, 9-9 GNAC) over the Vikings (23-18, 9-5 GNAC), 2-1, with a solo home run in the sixth. Rhaney Harris (10-9) tossed a complete game victory. She allowed nine hits, one intentional walk, and struck out four.
 
Western opened the scoring with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first. Macy Tarbox drove in Dakota Brooks for an early 1-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats had a smattering of runners in the first three innings before pushing across a run. Brooke Jordan opened the inning with a walk. Back-to-back strikeouts put the inning in jeopardy. Makenna King kept the inning alive with a five-pitch walk. Jillian Hampson drove in the tying run with a single up the middle.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the Vikings pushed the go-ahead run to second but Harris got Tarbox swinging to end the inning.
 
The first pitch of the sixth inning was launched over the left field wall by Benthagen, putting CWU ahead 2-1.
 
A lead-off single in the bottom of the frame for the Vikings put the tying run on first. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position. Harris forced a ground out and a fly out to strand the tying run.
 
The Vikings threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. After the first two hitters were retired, a double from Brooks put the tying run in scoring positon. The Wildcats issued an intentional pass to Chantelle Shimabukuro. Harris forced Tarbox to fly out to secure the victory.
 
Central finished with six hits from six different players. The 'Cats stranded just five, while Harris forced the Vikings into leaving 10 runners stranded.
 
GAME TWO | CWU 3, WWU 2
Isabel Womack (7-6) threw a gem for the Wildcats in the backend. She allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out nine.
 
The only two runs the Vikings scored cam in the first. A two-run blast from Brooks gave WWU an early 2-0 advantage.
 
Kira Doan (8-7) kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard until the sixth inning. After going deep in the opening game of the series, Benthagen did it again in game two. Jordan led off the inning and drew a four-pitch walk. Benthagen crushed a 2-1 offering to left to tie the score at 2-2.
 
Central managed to push Myiah Seaton over to third later in the inning, but a strikeout end the 'Cats bid for additional runs.
 
An inning later, it was Jordan's turn to play the hero. Allie Thiessen reached on an error with two outs and was lifted for a pinch runner as Riana Abeshima replaced her. Jordan roped the first pitch of her at-bat into left center, scoring Abeshima, and putting the Wildcats ahead 3-2.
 
A two-out walk gave the Vikings a bit of life in the final frame. A pinch-hit single put runners on the corners but Womack had other ideas. She struck out Brooke Wales looking for her seventh win of the year.
 
The Crimson and Black collected seven hits in game two, coming from seven separate players.
 
Womack retired the Vikings in order in four consecutive innings from the second through the fifth.
 
UP NEXT
Central and Western play games three and four of the series tomorrow (April 16). First pitch is scheduled for noon.