ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Softball Team will head up north for a four-game series at Simon Fraser this Friday and Saturday from Beedie Field in Burnaby, B.C.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Friday, April 4
3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
Central Washington at Simon Fraser
Beedie Field
Burnaby, B.C.
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Saturday, April 5
12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Central Washington at Simon Fraser
Beedie Field
Burnaby, B.C.
WATCH LIVE STATS TICKETS
 
QUOTING CWU HEAD SOFTBALL COACH JOE DIPIETRO
 
"We're looking forward to getting back on the field after a bye week. These games give our young players more on the field experience as we continue to grow. SFU is a very good hitting team, and we need to be able to keep them off balance."
 
LAST OUTINGS
 
The Wildcats were last in action on March 21 and 22 over in Billings, Montana taking on the Yellowjackets of MSUB. They earned a split on the weekend and in the process set the CWU single game record for homeruns with eight coming in game two. CWU fell 14-3 in game one in five innings before bouncing back with their 18-9 victory that featured the eight homers to conclude day one. CWU kept it going with five more homeruns in a 12-2 five inning victory in game three, but despite a Karsyn Decker homerun in the seventh inning to tie things and send it to extras, MSUB took the final game in nine innings by a 15-14 score. Mia Flores was tabbed the GNAC Player of the Week going 8-13 on the weekend making it home 10 times, knocking in seven RBI, one double, and four homeruns while drawing three walks and going 1-1 on stolen base attempts to pair with 24 putouts as the 'Cats first baseman.
 
SCOUTING THE RED LEAFS
 
Simon Fraser owns a 16-17 record that includes a 7-5 GNAC record so far this season. They opened their season going 1-4 in the South Central Regional Challenge in Los Lunas, N.M. with their sole victory coming against NCAA Division II newcomer Sul Ross State by an 11-1 score in five innings. SFU then traveled to the Tournament of Champions where they posted a 4-2 record earning victories over Cal State San Bernardino, Menlo, Jessup, and Stanislaus State. They went 3-1 in back-to-back road doubleheaders first splitting at Menlo before sweeping the Academy of Art. They went 1-5 against Western Washington, Western Oregon, and St. Martin's in nonconference play with their sole victory coming in 1-0 fashion at then 10th-ranked WWU. The Red Leafs opened GNAC play with a bang going 3-1 against Northwest Nazarene that included a 10-2 in six innings and an 8-0 victory in five innings sweep on day two. They stumbled to a 1-3 record at MSUB but bounced back two weekends ago for a 3-1 weekend at WOU including a day two sweep by the scores of 3-0 and 10-0.
 
The Red Leafs offense is headlined by seven different athletes batting over .300 so far this season led by Lauren Lugtigheid with a .436 average. Cassidy Affeldt leads SFU in extra base hits with eight doubles and one triple while Kristen Davyduke has eight of SFU's 20 homeruns this season and paves the way with 32 RBI. Erin Murphy has drawn the most walks with 16 and is currently 34-40 on stolen base attempts this season.
 
Monica Bourque and Jordyn Rupple have led the pitching staff for SFU. Bourque owns a 2.93 ERA, a 7-4 record, six complete games, three shutouts, and two saves in 74 innings pitched. She's allowed 63 hits, 34 runs with 31 being earned, and 46 walks while earning 59 strikeouts against 265 batters. Ruppel has a 3.75 ERA, a 4-5 record, two complete games, and one shutout in 56 pitched innings. She's allowed 67 hits, 37 runs with 30 being earned, and 15 walks but has struck out 36 of 224 batters.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats will turn their attention to the Saints from Saint Martin's as they come to Ellensburg for four games on Saturday and Sunday April 12 and 13. Saturday's games will be the softball teams annual Gold Star Family Game where they will honor fallen military members and their families. First pitch on Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. while first pitch on Sunday is tabbed at noon with all the action happening on Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field.