ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington University softball enters the Great Northwest Athletic Championship as the No. 4 seed and opens play against the No. 1 seed Northwest Nazarene University. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 pm Thursday (May 5) at Frederick Field.
 
QUOTABLE
"We're excited to one of the four teams participating in the GNAC Championships this week," CWU Head Coach Joe DiPietro said. "The team is loose and relaxed since we weren't picked to be here. Looking forward to playing well and see what happens!"
 
SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE
The Nighthawks claimed the GNAC regular season crown, finishing 18-6 in GNAC play. Overall, NNU posted a record of 30-18.
 
Leading both the offense and pitching staff, Sidney Booth has been a force to reckon with for the Nighthawks. The sophomore two-way player posted an average of .390 at the dish, while holding opposing hitters to an average of .205 from the rubber.
 
Offensively, Booth drove in 43 runs, scored 35, and is third in home runs with seven. She reached base at a clip of .500 and slugged .652, giving her an OPS of 1.152. Booth has tallied 14 doubles and one triple, while drawing 28 walks. She was hit by a pitch six times and struck out in only 15 plate appearances.
 
In the circle, Booth has nearly double the starts of any other Nighthawks. In 27 appearances and 25 starts, she has amassed 164.2 innings with a record of 15-10. Her ERA sits at 1.91 with a WHIP of 1.08. Booth has struck out 184 strikeouts with 50 walks.
 
Booth is just one of six Nighthawks hitting over .300 for the season. Ivy Hommel (.368), Tori Hensley (.333), Charlotte Forniss (.314), Abigail Gagnon (.308), and Maia McNicoll (.307) are all above the .300 plateau.
 
McNicoll leads the Nighthawks in home runs (11) and runs batted in (61). Hommel has scored a team-high 54 runs and clubbed a team-high five triples. On the base path, Hommel has swiped 19 bases in 22 attempts.
 
As a unit, the Nighthawks are hitting .296 as a team. They have hit 35 home runs, driven in 256 runs, and scored 280 times in total.
 
THE WILDCATS
Central Washington finished GNAC play with a 10-14 record. They clinched their spot in the GNAC Championships with a win in game three over Western Oregon University.
 
Alllie Thiessen led the Wildcats in batting average, posting an average of .381. She roped nine doubles, one triple, and one home run. She drove in 18 runs and scored a team-high 33 times. Thiessen also led CWU in on-base percentage (.449) and finished second in slugging percentage (.482) and OPS (.931). Her average places her fifth in the GNAC, while claiming seventh in on-base percentage. Thiessen is eighth in the GNAC in runs scored. She is also third in the GNAC against right-handed pitchers, hitting at a clip of .406 against righties. Thiessen is also third in the GNAC when hitting with runners on, posting an average of .423.
 
Alyssa Benthagen recorded an average of .312, recording a team-high 11 home runs and 35 runs batted in. She leads the Wildcats in slugging (.582) and OPS (.947). Benthagen is eighth in the GNAC in slugging percentage and tied for the conference lead with 11 home runs. She is currently tied for seventh in RBI. Benthagen has posted a .387 average against southpaws this season, putting her third in the GNAC.

Harlee Carpenter posted an average of .309 through 44 games She has amassed nine doubles, two triples, and driven in 19. As a lead-off hitter, Carpenter has reached base 53.3 percent of the time, putting her second in the GNAC. It is the second All-GNAC honor for Carpenter.

Makenna King hit .333 on the year, scoring 12 runs, and driving in 18. She posted an OBP of .386 and an OPS of .805. King hit eight doubles and one triple. She struck out only nine times in 117 at-bats.

Myiah Seaton hit .301 through 44 games. She hit eight doubles, one triple, and drove in 18, while scoring 23 times. Seaton posted an OBP of .386, slugged .376, for an OPS of .762.

Jillian Hampson finished the season hitting .311 and drove in 17 runs.

As a team, the Wildcats are hitting .290 with 14 home runs. They have scored 192 runs, driving in 161.

In the circle, Rhaney Harris has thrown 137.0 innings and is 11-11 on the season. She holds an ERA of 3.37, a WHIP of 1.50, and an average against of .300. The senior from Omak has notched 67 strikeouts, thrown 15 complete games, and two shutouts. Harris led the GNAC in ground ball outs, rolling 172.
 
Central Washington is 12-11 in the GNAC Championship since 2013. The Wildcats last won the GNAC Championship in 2016, when the 'Cats went 4-1 overall. The recorded four straight victories, including two against Western Oregon University, to claim the Championship title.
 
ALL-GNAC SELECTIONS
Six Wildcats earned All-GNAC selections. Alyssa Benthagen and Allie Thiessen both earned unanimous First Team All-GNAC selections, while Harlee Carpenter, Rhaney Harris, Makenna King, and Myiah Seaton were named Honorable Mention All-GNAC.