ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University softball team fell in a pair of thrilling games to conclude their GNAC-opening series against Saint Martin's Sunday afternoon.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 
GAME 1
 

• Final: Central Washington (6), Saint Martin's (7) – 12 Innings
• Records: CWU (3-15, 1-2 GNAC), SMU (11-8, 2-1 GNAC)

 
GAME 2
 

• Final: Central Washington (6), Saint Martin's (7)
• Records: CWU (3-16, 1-3 GNAC), SMU (12-8, 3-1 GNAC)
• Location: Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
GAME 1
 
SCORING:
 

• Alyssa Benthagen started the scoring on the day early in the top of the first inning singling to right center field to bring Brooke Jordan home to make it 1-0 'Cats.
• The Saints struck in the bottom of the third inning when Shelby Lawson sacrificed herself to score Shay Lopes and tie things up at one apiece.
• SMU struck once again in the bottom of the fifth as Heather Ebner homered to center field to score Britney Patrick in the process and make it 3-1 Saints.
• Karsyn Decker would tie things up in the top of the sixth with a triple to center field which scored Kate Hopkins and Brooke Blocker.
• Still in the sixth, Makenna King sacrificed herself to score Decker and give the 'Cats the 4-3 lead.
• The Saints tied things up once again in the bottom of the sixth as Kekai Schultz homered to left center to make it four apiece.
• In the top of the tenth inning, Sasha Mitchell singled up the middle to score Jillian Hampson to give the 'Cats the 5-4 lead.
• In the bottom of the tenth inning, Olivia Matlock singled up the middle to score Schultz and tie things up at five.
• In the top of the eleventh inning, Hampson doubled to center field to score Laney Kaysner and give the crimson and black the lead once more at 6-5.
• Ebner sacrificed herself in the bottom of the eleventh to score Ashley Goodale and tie things up once more.
• In the bottom of the twelfth inning Lopes doubled to right field to score Vanessa Smoke and give the game to the Saints, 7-6.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Ashlee Laver pitched the full 11.1 innings for the Wildcats allowing 12 hits, seven runs four of which were earned, and six walks while striking out six against 54 batters while throwing 201 pitches.
• Tia Ridings started for the Saints pitching two innings allowing four hits, one run, and one walk against 12 batters.
• Amanda Peterson pitched the next 4.2 innings for the Saints allowing six hits, three runs, and one walk while striking out three against 21 batters.
• Chloe Leverington pitched the final 5.1 innings allowing five hits and two runs while striking out nine against 22 batters.

 
HITTING:
 

• The Wildcats finished with 15 hits led by Decker with four.
• Kaysner, Benthagen, and Mitchell all recorded two hits apiece.
• King, Jordan, Hampson, Blocker, and Hopkins all finished with one hit apiece.
• Decker had two RBI while Mitchell, Hampson, Benthagen, and King all had one.
• Mitchell and Hopkins drew the sole walks for the Wildcats.
• The Saints finished with 12 hits led by Lopes with four.

 
GAME 2
 
SCORING:
 

• The Saints took the early 2-0 lead thanks to singles by Lopes and Smoke to score Goodale and Ebner in the first inning.
• The Wildcats would respond in the top of the second inning when Hopkins singled up the middle to score Mitchell and Hampson and tie the game.
• Later in the top of the second King singled to right field scoring Hopkins in the process to give the 'Cats the 3-2 lead.
• In the bottom of the fourth inning Patrick doubled to left field to score Goodale and Lawson and put Saint Martin's up 4-3.
• Benthagen would tie things up in the top of the fifth singling to right field to score Kaysner.
• Mitchell would sacrifice herself later in the top of the fifth to score Jordan and give the crimson and black the lead back at 5-4.
• Matlock tied things up in the bottom of the fifth when she singled to right center to score Schultz.
• SMU would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Ebner and Smoke would hit singles to score Patrick and Lopes and make it 7-5 Saints.
• Blocker would make it a one-run game in the top of the seventh inning sacrificing herself to score Serena Perez and make it 7-6 SMU.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Payton Kessler pitched 5.1 innings for the 'Cats allowing nine hits, six runs five of which were earned, and four walks while striking out two against 29 batters.
• Olivia Ross finished out the final 0.2 innings allowing two hits, one run, and one walk against five batters.
• Bridget Johnson pitched the first two innings for SMU allowing five hits, three runs, and one walk while striking out three against 13 batters.
• Peterson pitched the next two innings allowing three hits and two runs against eight batters.
• Leverington finished out the final three innings allowing three hits, one run which wasn't earned while earning four strikeouts against 14 batters.

 
HITTING:
 

• The Wildcats finished with 11 hits led by Jordan and Benthagen each with three.
• Hopkins recorded two hits.
• King, Kaysner, and Decker all had one hit apiece.
• Hopkins finished with two RBI while Blocker, Mitchell, Benthagen, and King all had one.
• Mitchell drew the sole walk for the 'Cats.
• SMU finished with 11 hits with three different players earning two hits.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Wildcats are now 96-57 against SMU all-time.
• The Wildcats own a 38-29 record against the Saints in Ellensburg.
• In conference games the Wildcats lead 79-51.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will stay in The 'Burg for a big weekend, first welcoming the Whitworth Pirates (4-6) for a double-header on Thursday at noon and 2:00 p.m.
• Central will then dive back into conference play with a four-game series against Montana State Billings (7-16-1, 1-3 GNAC) in Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field.
• The Wildcats and Yellowjackets get under way on Friday and Saturday with first pitch set for noon each day and the second games to take place approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first games.