ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington softball team (20-24, 8-12 GNAC) is set to host their final regular season series against the Saint Martin's Saints (15-15, 12-8 GNAC) this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will be senior day where the Wildcats will honor four seniors for everything, they've done for the Wildcats softball program.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
 
Saturday, April 29^th
Central Washington vs. Saint Martin's
1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field
Ellensburg, Wash.
 
 
Sunday, April 30^th
Central Washington vs. Saint Martin's
1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field
Ellensburg, Wash.
 
 
LAST TIME OUT:
 
The Wildcats will look to maintain the momentum they built after winning the series over Simon Fraser last weekend 3-1. The first day went to extra innings in both games, but the Wildcats prevailed 11-6 in eight innings in game one and 10-4 in eight innings in game two. A last inning homerun sealed the only win for SFU in game one of day two in a 3-4 victory for the Red Leafs, but the Wildcats bounced back with a major 10-1 victory in five innings in game two. The Wildcats had four homeruns in the series with Alyssa Benthagen getting three and Myiah Seaton getting one.
 
SCOUTING THE SAINTS:
 
The Saints are coming off of back-to-back days of make-up games almost immediately after a trip to Northwest Nazarene. The Saints first went 1-3 at NNU, winning the first game 2-1 before falling by 5-6, 1-4, and 0-1 scores to end the series. The Saints then headed back to Lacey, Wash. to make-up their final two games against Western Oregon and Western Washington after delays in the two series earlier in the season. The Saints first swept the WOU Wolves on Tuesday by a 9-7 and a 4-1 score. They then played the Vikings of WWU on Wednesday taking a split by an 0-2 and a 5-2 score.
 
This is the first meeting of the season between the two squads and the 146^th through 149^th ever meeting between both programs. The Wildcats currently lead the series 94-51, but are on a three-game skid to SMU.
 
The Saints have a hard hitter in Haley Agena who currently has a .431 batting average so far this season, and also leads the Saints in hits with 53. Olivia Matlock and Kekai Schultz are their big hitters as each of them has six homeruns on the year, while Schultz has the most RBI's with 32.
 
Saint Martin's uses a three-pronged attack with their pitching as Tia Ridings is the star pitcher, currently with a 2.66 ERA, a 13-5 record, two complete games, and one solo shutout, two combined shutouts with another pitcher, as well as one save in 100 innings pitched. Ridings has allowed 86 hits, 45 runs, 38 earned runs, and 53 walks while getting 85 strikeouts against 365 batters. Chloe Leverington has been the star relief pitcher for SMU as she currently has a 3.04 ERA, a 3-6 record, one complete game, one solo shutout, three combined shutouts, and 11 saves in 73.2 innings pitched. Leverington has allowed 76 hits, 36 runs, 32 earned runs, and 14 walks while getting 72 strikeouts against 295 batters. Abby Runyon is the final regularly used pitcher as she has a 3.59 ERA, a 9-3 record, five complete games, two solo shutouts, one combined shutout, and one save in 91.2 innings of work. She's allowed 103 hits, 54 runs, 47 earned runs, and 40 walks while getting 70 strikeouts against 370 batters.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Wildcats will have to take care of business this weekend if they want any chance of making it to the GNAC Tournament as there are still two spots in the tournament up for grabs between four teams. The Wildcats and Montana State Billings Yellow Jackets are currently tied at 8-12 in the conference while SMU (12-8) and Western Oregon (11-9) are clinging to the final two spots. MSUB has a four-game series at home against Simon Fraser while Western Oregon has a four-game series at home against GNAC-leader Northwest Nazarene.