Vikings sweep Central in softball doubleheader

Submitted by admin on Thu, 04/03/2014 - 9:49am

 Mackenzie Hughes (Fr., Ellensburg) provided the winning hit in the opener and Kaleigh Keating (Sr., Salinas, CA/Notre Dame Salinas) had a walk-off single in the nightcap as Western Washington University swept a doubleheader with arch-rival Central Washington University, 2-1 and 4-3 in nine innings, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Friday at Viking Field on the WWU campus.

WWU, which matched its season-high winning streak of four, improved to 15-8 overall and 7-5 in GNAC action. The Vikings, who scored all six of their runs on two-out hits, are 7-1 at home this season.

Central fell to 15-10 overall and 8-6 in conference play.

With the second game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Autumn Isaacson (Jr., Lake Stevens) drew a walk, stole her 21st base of the year and scored the game-ending run on Keating's single up the middle.

Keating finished 3-for-5 in the game. She also had a hit in the opener. Central had taken an early 2-0 lead, scoring single runs in the first and second innings.

WWU rallied to tie the contest at 2-2, Keating driving in a run in the fifth with a single and Alexie Levin (So., Everett) leading off the sixth with a double and scoring on a single by Emma Blauser (So., Federal Way/Todd Beamer).

The Wildcats went in front again, 3-2, after scoring an unearned run in the seventh off reliever Jenna DeRosier (Sr., Kelso).

WWU continued its clutch hitting by tying the game at 3-3 in the bottom of that frame on a single by Haylee Baker (Sr., Poulsbo/Bainbridge) that scored Isaacson. Isaacson has reached base in every game this season.

Shayna Adelstein (Fr., Tucson, AZ) pitched the first six innings for the Vikings, allowing two runs.

In the first game, Hughes lined a two-run single to center field to give WWU a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

DeRosier pitched a complete-game victory, allowing just three hits and retiring 13 of the last 14 batters she faced. Central's run came in the third inning.

Central's Maria Gau (8-4) got the loss despite giving up just two unearned runs.

DeRosier is now 9-3 on the year with wins in her last four appearances.

The next Vikings home games are at 1 and 3 p.m. April 11 against Western Oregon at Viking Field on campus.