April 15, 2011
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University catcher Jackie Rothenberger (So., Coquitlam, B.C./Gleneagle Secondary) went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs and pitcher Erika Quint (Sr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap) allowed just one hit and struck out five in 3-1/3 innings to get the win in relief as the Vikings defeated Montana State University Billings, 3-2, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball game that was suspended because of unplayable field conditions after 2-1/2 innings Thursday and completed Friday at Viking Field on the WWU campus.
Western, ranked No.20 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll and No.1 in the West Region, improved to 29-7 overall and is atop the GNAC standings at 17-4. MSUB fell to 19-20 overall and 14-13 in conference play.
The Vikings took a quick lead as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Rothenberger drove in one with a single and a sacrifice fly by Samantha Rutherford (Sr., Kenmore/Inglemoor) brought in the other.
MSUB cut the lead to one in the third on a run-scoring double by Nicole Colpron, but Western countered by scoring in the bottom of that frame on a double by Rothenberger for a 3-1 advantage.
The Yellowjackets narrowed the margin to one, 3-2, in the fourth and had the bases loaded with two outs when Quint came in and struck out Colpron.
Quint, now 22-1, retired seven straight before giving up a leadoff walk in the seventh and a one-out single that put runners on first and third. She then ended the game with two strikeouts.
Rothenberger has now hit safely in her last five official plate appearances with nine runs batted in. In Thursday's series opener with MSUB, a 9-4 Western win, she hit home runs in consecutive at bats, driving in seven runs,
The Vikings and MSUB play one more time today (3 p.m.), a makeup of a game that was postponed when the two teams met in Billings last weekend.
Western travels to Burnaby, B.C., on Sunday (1 p.m.) for a GNAC doubleheader with Simon Fraser University.
