BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Central Washington Wildcats softball team clawed their way till the end and split day two at the 11th-ranked Western Washington Vikings Saturday afternoon.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
Game 1
 

• Final: Central Washington (1), Western Washington (2).
• Records: CWU (14-26, 9-10 GNAC), WWU (36-5, 16-3 GNAC)

 
 
Game 2
 

• Final: Central Washington (2), Western Washington (1)
• Records: CWU (15-26, 10-10 GNAC), WWU (36-6, 16-4 GNAC)
• Location: Viking Field, Bellingham, Wash.

 
 
Game1:
 
SCORING:
 

• The Wildcats got right to work with TK Kai smashing one to left field and allowing Jillian Hampson to score in the top of the fourth inning to put the first score on the board for the day, and give the 'Cats the 1-0 lead.
• The Vikings fired back with Hailey Rath shooting one down right center letting Maleah Andrews and McKenna Crum score in the bottom of the fifth to give the 'Vikes the 2-1 lead.

 
 
PITCHING:
 

• Ashlee Laver pitched a full six innings for the Wildcats, allowing seven hits, two runs, and one walk among facing 27 batters.
• Joie Baker was in the circle again for the Vikings and pitched the first 3.2 innings, allowing three hits, one run, one walk, and struck out six out of the 16 batters faced.
• Kaiana Kong finished it off for the Vikings allowing one hit, zero runs, zero walks, and struck out one out of the 12 batters faced.

 
 
HITTING:
 

• The Wildcats finished with four hits with Laver leading with two.
• Hampson and Kai each had one hit.
• The Vikings ended with seven hits with Crum and Rath leading with two and Andrews, Kanilehua Pitoy, and Hirai Hanako all having one hit.

 
 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• The Wildcats came out swinging in game two with Kai slicing one down the left side allowing Makenna King to run on home in the top of the first inning and put the 'Cats on top 1-0.
•  Alyssa Benthagen singled one to second base allowing Hampson to slide on into home in the top of the fifth inning to make it a 2-0 Central lead.
• The Vikings tried to save themselves by Pitoy hitting a single to the right side which allowed Laila Carpenter to make in home in the bottom of the seventh and cut the crimson and black lead in half, 2-1.

 
 
PITCHING:
 

• Zoey Theophilus started in the circle for CWU pitching five innings and allowing seven hits, one run, zero walks, and struck out two among the 24 batters faced.
•  Laver finished it off for the Wildcats allowing two hits, zero runs, and zero walks against seven batters.
• Hanako started pitching for the Vikings but got taken out after 0.1 inning, she allowed one hit, one run, and one walk against three batters.
• Allie Kimball came in quick for the Vikings allowing six hits, one run, no walks, and struck out three out of the 25 batters faced in 5.2 innings.
• Kong came in to finish it off for the Vikings allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks after facing three batters.

 
 
HITTING:
 

• The Wildcats finished with seven hits with Hampson leading with two.
• King, Sasha Mitchell, Benthagen, Kai, and Kate Hopkins all finished with one hit each.
• The Vikings finished with nine hits, two each from Lexi Barcomb and Rath. One each from Pitoy, Emma Andrewjeski, Ashley Jacobson, Pitoy, Emily Paulson, and Crum.

 
 
 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Wildcats and Vikings have met 165 times with WWU owning the series of 87-78.
• The Wildcats have a 35-39 away record.
• WWU holds the conference record of 67-71.

 
 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will have one last hurrah battling it out with the Simon Fraser Red Leafs (6-28, 1-15 GNAC) in a four-game series starting on Friday, April 26 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. The series will continue into Saturday, April 27 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. with Saturday's doubleheader being the Wildcats Senior Day.