Feb. 14, 2016 Box Score
ST. GEORGE, Utah - Western Washington University senior right fielder Alexie Levin set the school record with her 40th career double, but it wasn't enough as the Vikings dropped an 8-3 decision to Hawai'i Hilo Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Dixie State Softball Tournament at Canyons Softball Complex.
The Vikings (5-5) went 2-3 in the three-day tournament and will take next week off before opening GNAC play with a pair of doubleheaders vs. Simon Fraser Feb. 27 (Bellingham) and Feb. 28 (Burnaby).
Levin (Everett, WA) went 2-for-3 with her fourth double of the season, moving into the top spot in WWU history past Michelle Wrigley (2008-2011). Levin finished the 5-game tournament batting .438 (7-for-16) with 3 runs scored, 2 extra-base hits and 4 RBI. For the season the senior is batting .500 (15-for-30) with 6 extra-base hits (2B-4, 3B-2) and 11 RBI.
Junior second baseman Kali Patterson (Bonney Lake, WA) went 2-for-4 with her first home run of the season and sophomore first baseman Emily Benson (West Richland, WA/Kamiakin) was also 2-for-4 with one RBI. The 2-3-4 hitters for the Vikings (Patterson-Levin-Benson) combined to go 6-for-11, while the rest of the lineup was 2-for-18.
WWU held an early 1-0 lead when Patterson hit her second career home run with one out in the top of the first inning. Hilo answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning and never trailed again. Junior catcher Danielle Pulido provided the big blow with a 2-run home run off starting pitcher Aspen Ison (Jr., Gig Harbor, WA/Peninsula). Junior shortstop Victoria Garcia added a 2-out, 2-run single to stake UHH to the 4-1 lead.
The Vulcans tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the 4th inning, fueled by a pair of WWU errors. The Vikings scored single tallies in the 6th and 7th innings, but would not get any closer while evening their season record at 5-5.
Ison (0-1) recorded the loss allowing 2 hits and 4 runs (2 BB) in 1.1 innings.
WWU left 8 runners on base and were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Hawaii Hilo 8, Western Washington 3 (Feb 14, 2016 at St. George, UT)----------------------------------------------------------------------Western Washington.. 100 001 1 - 3 8 4 (5-5)Hawaii Hilo......... 040 400 x - 8 10 1 (9-5)----------------------------------------------------------------------Western Washington - Ison; Labasan (2) and HughesHawaii Hilo - Derleth; Fernandez (6) and PulidoWin-Derleth (3-3) Loss-Ison (0-1) HR WWU - Patterson (1)HR UHH - Pulido (1)Weather: 57 degrees, Partly CloudyT-2:10 A-45Note: Alexie Levin sets WWU career record with 40th double.
