Starting Lineup vs. Hawaii Hilo (Wednesday, 11:00 am)
here is a look at the starting lineup for the Vikings as they are set to take on Hawaii Hilo in the opening game of the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships in Irvine, California. 

WWUVikings.com/SB_Watch
WWUVikings.com/SB_Stats

Statistics, Statistics, Statistics (Wednesday, 9:00 am)
While the team heads to the field for the noon game vs. Hawaii Hilo, we figured we would share a detailed stats package with you that we provide for historical purposes. Pour over these stats by clicking on the image below to find out all you need to know on Team 29.

It's Gameday (Wednesday, 7:00 am)
The Vikings officially take the field today for the opening game of the NCAA II Softball Championships West Regional, with first pitch vs. Hawaii Hilo scheduled for noon in Irvine, California. Fans can tune into the action via live webcast and statistical updates at the following links:

• wwuvikings.com/SB_Watch
• wwuvikings.com/SB_Stats

A Little Beach Time (Tuesday, 4:30 pm)
To cap off the day the team went to the Beach … Huntington Beach … because when you are Southern California you just have to do that. They got to walk around, put their feet in the sand and got some dinner. Huntington Beach is also the hometown of senior Hannah Matthews.

Practice (Tuesday, 10:30 am) 
The Vikings had their official pre-tournament practice on Eagles Field, getting used to the field, the outfield fences and the dugouts. It was a quick one-hour practice, but time was also spent in the batting cages just beyond the left field wall. After a travel day Monday, the team enjoyed getting out on the field and it started to sink in that they were at the NCAA Regional tournament. The staff and grounds crew at CUI had the field looking great!

Following all Safety Protocols (Tuesday, 9:00 am)
A big part of this season has been following all safety protocols, which has involved weekly COVID testing and wearing face coverings. As part of this 48-team national tournament, the NCAA has been doing a great job making sure all student-athletes, coaches and staff are protected. At 9 am the team arrived on the Concordia University Irvine campus and went directly to their gym to do COVID testing. The CUI staff had everything organized and all members of the travel party were tested and received an “all clear” status. Here are some pictures of the team during their testing.

The Vikings Have Arrived in California (Monday, 2:30 pm)
After a pretty short flight, the Vikings arrived safely in California, flying into John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Players spent time during the flight working on school work, reading and watching movies. After getting situated in rental vans (five of them), the team headed off to get food at The District in Irvine. We are hearing good reviews about Aloha Hawaiian BBQ!

Killing Time at SeaTac (Monday, Noon)
Like most travel adventures lately, there is always time to kill, and it is pretty easy for these student-athlete to keep busy. A few players were busy studying for tests and doing homework. There were a lot of coffee cups in the team area, as several players hit up a nearby Starbucks. 

At the Airport (Monday, 10:30 am)
It’s always a nice surprise, and takes a little of the stress away, when traffic from Bellingham to SeaTac is non-existent. It was an easy drive through Seattle and the team arrived ready to board its flight to California. The team had one flight for a road trip this season – to Idaho – but for the author of this blog it was the first time in an airport in 14 months. After unloading the bus, players checked in at kiosks and made their way through security to get food and wait for the 12:40 pm flight.

The Sendoff (Monday, 8:30 am)
The Vikings packed the bus (the WWU Vikings bus of course) between 8-8:30 am and hit the road for SeaTac International Airport. Each player had a list if items (very details list from Coach Gilmore) on what to pack for the trip, including personal items and all the gear needed for softball practices and games. Assistant coaches Kylisa Hull and Shearyna Labasan were also tasked with having each player sign the NCAA Code of Conduct form, handing out meal money and walking the players through the process of signing up for the NCAA COVID Testing process that will take place in California.

And, just before the team boarded the bus, a few honks and screams were heard in they alley between Harrington and Viking Field...and it was the WWU Volleyball team, led by head coach Diane Flick-Williams to send the Vikings off in style. There is nothing like the support of other programs for our student-athletes! Go Viks!

The Bracket (Monday, 7:30 am)
Here is a look at the official West Regional Softball Bracket, with game times listed below. WWU will play Hawai'i Hilo Wednesday at noon to open play in the six-team regional at Eagles Field in Irvine, California:

2021 NCAA DIVISION II WEST REGIONAL
at Eagles Field - Irvine, CA
 
Wednesday, May 19
Game 1: No. 4 Western Washington vs. No. 5 Hawai'i Hilo, Noon
Game 2: No. 3 Northwest Nazarene vs. No. 6 Central Washington, 2:30 pm
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Elimination Game), 5:00 pm
 
Thursday, May 20
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. No. 1 Concordia Irvine, 12:00 pm
Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. No. 2 Biola, 2:30 pm
Game 6: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 (Elimination Game), 5:00 pm
 
Friday, May 21
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 12:00 pm
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 6 (Elimination Game), 2:30 pm
Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (Elimination Game), 5:00 pm
 
Saturday, May 22
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9, 12:00 pm
Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 (if necessary), 2:30 pm