ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Whitworth softball dropped both games of Thursday's doubleheader at Central Washington, falling 7-3 and 8-0 in Ellensburg.
The Pirates (4-8) were slow out of the gates falling into a six and four run hole after the first inning of each game, they were unable to climb back. They will return home on a short turnaround to host unbeaten Linfield in a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.
Game 1 – Central Washington 7, Whitworth 3
The Wildcats (5-16, 1-3 GNAC) jumped on the Pirates with a six-run two-out rally in the bottom of the first inning and coasted from there to take game one.
With two outs and a runner on second, CWU strung together five hits including a pair of doubles to open a 6-0 lead in the opening frame.
Corinne Vasiloff (2-4) pitched six innings, giving up 10 hits and seven earned runs in the loss while striking out five batters. Olivia Ross got the win giving up one run on 14 hits.
The Pirates racked up 12 hits in the first four innings as they cut into the Wildcats' lead. Lizzy Bradford singled to score Momi Lyman in the top of the second, and in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded, Reagan Ellis put the ball in play to score Hannah Montoya and Kennedy Robison scored on a throwing error to first to make it a 6-3 game. Lyman was 3-3 at the plate, Ellis was 2-4 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Pirate offense.
The 'Cats tacked on an insurance run in the fifth as Karsyn Decker bunted home Anna Fridell with two outs. Central scored all seven of its runs with two outs, while Whitworth left nine runners on base.
Game 2 – Central Washington 8, Whitworth 0 (6 innings)
Ashtyn Falor sparked Central's four-run first inning with a double to empty the bases, and the Wildcats finished off a sweep against Whitworth in six innings.
Falor finished 1-2 with a walk and three RBIs, Zoey Theophilus pitched a complete-game shutout while allowing just one hit, a Hannah Montoya single in the first inning. The Wildcats have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
After posting four runs in the first, the Wildcats tacked on single runs in the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth inning. Heidi Heytvelt finished it off with a single in the sixth to score Serena Perez for the eight-run mercy rule.
Central had nine hits and left six on base, Whitworth had just one hit but left five on base as both teams committed three errors. Momi Lyman (2-4) pitched 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits in the loss, Annie Brose pitched two outs in relief and gave up the final run.
