After 15 straight road games to start the season, Western Washington softball split a home-opening doubleheader with Simon Fraser in non-conference action Saturday, March 1 at Viking Field.
“We have been looking forward to it for a long time,” coach Sheryl Gilmore said. “We finally got some weather so it felt good to be home.”
The Vikings, who have now won 11 of their last 12, lost the first game 1-0, then answered back with a 7-1 victory.
“They are a good team,” Gilmore said. “They can hit well, they have a dynamic offense and they did their homework on how to pitch against us. We have a lot of respect for each other and know they will do big things this year.”
Gallery: Western softball splits doubleheader
The Red Leafs started the top of the first inning in the first game with a two-out rally. Cassidy Affeldt reached base safely on a single and scored later on a wild pitch from Western’s Joie Baker. Baker avoided more issues by striking out Lizzy Sugrive. Simon Fraser held Western scoreless in the bottom half of the inning.
Western had a chance to respond in the bottom of the second when Laila Carpenter rounded third base, but her sliding attempt at home plate was just late, getting tagged out by Sugrive.
Neither team was able to get many runners in scoring position until Simon Fraser loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. But Western reliever Kaiana Kong, who entered the game in the sixth inning, kept the Red Leafs from adding any runs with two groundouts.
Western had a final chance in the seventh with Maleah Andrews at second base with two outs, but Kanilehua grounded out to the second baseman to end the first game.
In the second game, Simon Fraser (9-11) opened with another run in the first inning when Kristen Davyduke forced Western’s McKenna Crum to make a diving catch, allowing Red Leafs’ Erin Murphy score on a sacrifice fly.
Western responded in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1.
“The good thing about this team is they don’t need to be told much,” Gilmore said. “There is good leadership in the team and we will continue to trust the process and build together.”
Andrews hit a leadoff single and later scored from Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez’s fielder’s choice. Western saw its first lead of the day in the bottom of the second inning when Simon Fraser’s Jani Balcean overthrew her shortstop, allowing Carpenter to score. At the next at bat, Andrews hit a two-run single, scoring Crum and Lexi Barcomb to make it 3-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Saint Martin’s transfer Olivia Matlock hit a hard groundball down the third base line to score Hailey Rath and Andrewjeaski-Ramirez to make it 6-1. Nyree Johnson followed with an RBI double.
Western (12-5) opens Great Northwest Conference play when it travels to Saint Martin’s (8-4) for back-to-back doubleheaders at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on both Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9. The Saints have won six of their last seven games.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
