ELLENSBURG, Wash. – A dominant performance from Rhaney Harris and a three-run double from Alyssa Benthagen guided No. 4 Central Washington University softball to a 4-1 victory over No. 1 Northwest Nazarene in game two of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship.
 
"I think we came out relaxed for a change," CWU Head Coach Joe DiPietro said afterward. "We've been preaching to them that there's no pressure on us. We weren't supposed to be here, we are the four seed, and the girls really took that to heart and came out really relaxed. I saw it in the pregame at the cages, they were joking with each other and having a good time."
 
Harris (12-11) fired seven complete innings, allowing just two hits and a trio of walks. She struck out a pair of Nighthawks and allowed only one run. Sidney Booth (15-11) allowed six hits, four runs, one walk, and struck out five. None of the runs she allowed were earned.
 
"Rhaney was really, really good," DiPietro continued. "She pitched her best game of the season today, I thought."
 
Booth and Harris held the bats quiet through the first two innings. Taylor Kai led off the third inning with a single, lacing the first pitch of her at bat to left field. After a pop out, Harlee Carpenter reached on an error, before Allie Thiessen drew a walk to load the bases. A strikeout put Booth and the Nighthawks an out away from escaping danger, but Benthagen had another idea. She sent an offering from Booth into the right center gap, plating all three runners for a 3-0 lead.
 
"Alyssa has been big for us all year and when she is feeling good, she's a tough out," DiPietro added. "They were turned a bit on her and right center was a bit open and she hit it to the perfect spot."
 
After allowing a lead-off single in the bottom of the third, Harris retired the next 12 batters she faced.
 
The Crimson and Black struck again in the top of the seventh. Karsyn Decker opened the frame with a double and advanced to third on an errant throw in from left field. Three batters later, Brooke Jordan ripped a ball down the first base line for an RBI single and a 4-0 lead.
 
"Getting that last run was really big," DiPietro noted. "Brooke coming up with two outs and picking up Karsyn to give us an extra run, it was big."
 
Booth worked a lead-off walk in the game's final frame. She was lifted for a pinch runner, Mari Kamemoto. A fly out to deep right allowed Kamemoto to advance to second. The next batter flew out to right as well, but Thiessen's throw forced Kamemoto to hold on second. Abigail Gagnon drove in Kamemoto with a single to center, cutting Central's lead to 4-1.
 
Harris forced Charlotte Forniss to fly out to Jillian Hampson in center, sealing the 4-1 victory.

Central Washington plays Saint Martin's University tomorrow (May 6) at 12:30 p.m. on the second day of the GNAC Championships.