ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington softball team will dive back into GNAC play this upcoming weekend when they take on the Western Oregon Wolves in a four-game series this Friday and Saturday.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
 
Friday, April 7^th
Central Washington @ Western Oregon
12:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
WOU Softball Field
Monmouth, Ore.
WATCH LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, April 8^th
Central Washington @ Western Oregon
12:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
WOU Softball Field
Monmouth, Ore.
WATCH LIVE STATS
 
LAST TIME OUT:
 
The Wildcats just wrapped up their participation in the annual Tournament of Champions down in Turlock, Calif. where they played a five-game slate over the course of three days. The Wildcats started the tournament off hot defeating Hawaii Pacific by a 2-0 score and Hawaii-Hilo by a 4-1 score on Friday. On Saturday the Wildcats defeated the Academy of Art by a 4-0 score before falling by a 2-6 score to San Francisco State. CWU rounded out their time at the TOC with a 0-4 setback to Chaminade on Sunday.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVES:
 
This will be the first meeting of the season after the Cats and Wolves were set to play a series earlier this season in nonconference action, but weather forced travel issues and the Wildcats played Northwest Nazarene instead. The Wolves are also coming off a 3-2 weekend at the TOC, first losing to 13^th-ranked Sonoma State by a 1-9 score before defeating the Academy of Art 8-0 on the first day. The Wolves took a split on day two as well first falling to Holy Names 0-1 before bouncing back for the 3-2 victory over Hawaii-Hilo. The Wolves rounded out their time at the TOC with another 3-2 victory this time over Chico State.
 
This will be the 135^th through 138^th ever meetings between the two squads as both teams have won 67 games apiece throughout the series. Last season the Wolves took the four-game series 3-1 here in Ellensburg.
 
The Wolves are led offensively by Katelyn McGough who is currently batting .333 in 102 at-bats. McGough leads WOU with 34 hits, 23 runs, and three homeruns, while Maddie Doig leads the Wolves with 14 RBI's on the season.
 
WOU has relied on Maddie Mayer and Chelsea Smith for their pitching as they have started 17 and 15 games, respectively. Mayer has a 2.27 ERA with a 10-8 record, 11 complete games, and two shutouts. Mayer has allowed 110 hits, 51 runs, 38 earned runs, and 45 walks, while getting 84 strikeouts against 450 batters in 117 innings pitched. Smith has a 3.00 ERA, a 7-7 record, and eight complete games in 81.2 innings pitched. Smith has allowed 75 hits, 40 runs, 35 earned runs, and 45 walks while getting 91 strikeouts against 321 batters.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Wildcats will head back for a series in Ellensburg for the first time in almost a month when they host the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (19-13, 7-1 GNAC) in a four-game series on Friday and Saturday April 14^th and 15^th. Saturdays games will be the Gold Star Family Game where the softball team will honor fallen members of the military and their families.