ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Softball Team earned a home-opening split against Northwest Nazarene Friday afternoon.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
GAME 1:
 

• Final: Central Washington (3), Northwest Nazarene (2)
• Records: CWU (3-16, 1-4 GNAC), NNU (11-11, 1-4 GNAC)

 
GAME 2:
 

• Final: Central Washington (6), Northwest Nazarene (15)
• Records: CWU (3-17, 1-5 GNAC), NNU (12-11, 2-4 GNAC)
• Location: Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field, Ellensburg, Wash.

 
GAME 1:
 
SCORING:
 

• Clarissa Moreno put the Nighthawks on the board early when she sacrificed herself to the left fielder to score Emma Mulligan and make it 1-0 NNU in the first inning.
• Jessica Reitz-Eaton put CWU on the board in the third when she singled down the right field line to score Serena Perez and tie things up at one apiece.
• Karsyn Decker added on in the fifth when she singled to left center field to score Reitz-Eaton and was followed by Zoey Theophilus singling up the middle to score Decker and make it 3-1 CWU.
• The Nighthawks struck again in the seventh when Ava Clark singled to second base to score Mulligan making it 3-2 CWU.

 
HITTING:
 

• Reitz-Eaton led CWU with two hits while Decker and Theophilus each had one.
• Reitz-Eaton, Decker, and Theophilus all had one RBI.
• McKayla Cable and Gabi Casco both drew one walk.
• The Nighthawks were led by Mulligan who had three hits while Clark and Moreno each had an RBI.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Payton Kessler pitched 6.1 innings allowing six hits, two runs with only one being earned, and five walks while striking out five of 29 batters faced.
• Olivia Ross came in to pitch the final 0.2 innings and allowed one hit against three batters.
• Miah Lusk pitched 4.1 innings for NNU allowing three hits, three runs, and two walks while striking six out, out of the 20 batters faced.
• Victoria Frias pitched the final 1.2 innings for the 'Hawks allowing just one hit against six batters.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• The Nighthawks started out hot with a three-run homerun from Moreno in the first inning.
• Charlotte Forniss added on in the second inning with a single up the middle to score Clark, making it 4-0 NNU.
• In the third inning, Jami Obringer started a scoring streak for NNU when she tripled down the right field line to score Keana Bell, followed by Kellcie Adams singling to left field to score Obringer, followed by Moreno singling to right field to score Annie Swanson and Taylee Hunt, and was concluded by Forniss singling to left field to score Moreno and Clark making it 10-0 NNU.
• The Wildcats got on the board in the bottom of the third when Cable singled to left center to score Adriana Rodriguez making it 10-1 NNU.
• The Wildcats down to their final out before the run rule applied started a scoring streak of their own, first with Theophilus singling to right field to score Decker making it 10-2 NNU.
• Reese Schimmel followed suit with a single to center field to score Cady Wilton and Ashtyn Falor to make it 10-4 NNU.
• Halle Dilger then singled to center field to score Schimmel and Mia Flores followed with a single to right field to score Melise Brown to make it a 10-6 Nighthawk lead.
• The Nighthawks would strike again in the sixth inning when Emma Bumatay homered to center field to score Moreno and Clark to make it 13-6 NNU.
• In the top of the seventh, Mulligan homered to left field to score Obringer and make it 15-6 in favor of Northwest Nazarene.

 
HITTING:
 

• Dilger led the 'Cats with two hits.
• Reitz-Eaton, Decker, Cable, Theophilus, Schimmel, Flores, and Perez all had one hit.
• Cable, Theophilus, Schimmel, Dilger, and Flores all had one RBI.
• Falor drew two walks while Reitz-Eaton, Decker, Flores, and Rodriguez all drew one.
• The Nighthawks were led by Mulligan who had four hits.
• Moreno had five RBI to lead NNU.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Theophilus pitched 0.1 innings allowing four hits, three runs, and one walk against six batters.
• Ross came in to pitch two innings allowing seven hits, seven runs, and two walks, but struck two out of 15 batters out.
• Ellie Gilbert pitched the final 4.2 innings allowing seven hits, five runs with only three earned, and four walks but struck out two of 26 batters.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• CWU leads the all-time series 85-40.
• The 'Cats are 43-14 in Ellensburg over NNU.
• The Nighthawks are 8-2 in the last 10 games.
• CWU is 72-26 in conference games against the 'Hawks.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats and 'Hawks will conclude their four-game series tomorrow with games three and four set to start at noon and 2:00 p.m. from Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field in 'The Burg'.