Feb. 5, 2016
LAS VEGAS - The Western Washington University softball team opened the 2016 season Friday with a pair of victories in the Desert Stinger Softball Classic at Majestic Park.
The Vikings beat Colorado Mesa 9-1 in 5 innings in the season opener and then earned a come-from-behind 7-4 win over No. 20 Augustana in the second game of the day.
"The team came out today excited, ready to play, with a sense of urgency," said head coach Amy Suiter. "Two good wins right out of the gates and it really confirms that we have the depth that I thought we had."
Western Washington 9, Colorado Mesa 1 / GAME 1
Box Score | Game Book 
The Vikings opened the season in dominating fashion with a 9-1 victory in 5 innings over Colorado Mesa. Senior right fielder Alexie Levin (Everett, WA) went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and sophomore pitcher Makinlee Sellevold (Everett, WA/Cascade) scattered 4 hits and one run in 4.0 innings. The Vikings out-hit the Mavericks 7-4, with six different WWU players recording a hit.
Western trailed 1-0 after the top of the first inning on a two-out solo home run by senior shortstop Makayla Kovac. The Vikings answered in a big way with an 8-run bottom of the first inning, fueled by 5 hits and 3 Colorado errors. Levin plated Sellevold with the second run of the inning for what proved to be the game winner.
Sellevold (1-0) earned the win recording a pair of strikeouts and no walks in her season debut, and freshman Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll) logged her first collegiate inning with a 1-2-3 fifth inning (1 strikeout).
Western Washington 9, Colorado Mesa 1 (Feb 05, 2016 at Las Vegas, NV)----------------------------------------------------------------------Colorado Mesa....... 100 00 - 1 4 3 (0-1)Western Washington.. 810 0X - 9 7 1 (1-0)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Colorado Mesa - M. Surface; J. Lopez(2) and Z. Pakes. Western Washington -Sellevold,Makinlee; Labasan,Shearyna(5) and Clark,Taylor; Hughes,Mackenzie.Win-Sellevold,Makinlee(1-0) Loss-M. Surface(0-1) T-1:24 A-104HR CMU - M. Kovac (1)
Western Washington 7, #20 Augustana 4 / GAME 2
Box Score | Game Book
After taking a 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the top of the first inning, the Vikings found themselves in a 4-1 hole through three innings. After starting pitcher Aspen Ison (Jr., Gig Harbor, WA/Peninsula) settled down, the Western bats woke up to score a pair of runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth inning.
With the Vikings trailing 4-3, senior right fielder Alexie Levin tied the game with a two-out single to score junior second baseman Kali Patterson (Bonney Lake, WA) and then sophomore first baseman Emily Benson (West Richland, WA/Kamiakin) followed with a two-run home run to straightaway center field to give WWU a 6-4 advantage.
Western added an important insurance run in the top of the 7th inning and then recorded a game-ending 5-3 double play with the tying run at the plate.
Shearyna Labasan (1-0) earned her first collegiate win dominating out of the bullpen to allow just 2 hits in 4.1 scoreless innings.
Levin capped a stellar start to her senior season going 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI, and finished the day 5-for-7 with 3 doubles and 4 RBI. Also contributing multi-hit efforts were Benson (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) and senior third baseman Emma Blauser (Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer) who went 2-for-2 with a run scored.
The Vikings (2-0) return to action tomorrow with two more games in the Desert Stinger against No. 19 Sonoma State (2 pm) and Cal State San Bernardino (7 pm). WWU will also play No. 21 Regis Sunday (11:30 am) to complete the 5-game tournament in Las Vegas.
Western Washington 7, Augustana 4 (Feb 05, 2016 at Las Vegas, NV)----------------------------------------------------------------------Western Washington.. 100 230 1 - 7 9 1 (2-0)Augustana........... 202 000 0 - 4 6 4 (5-4)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Western Washington - Ison,Aspen; Labasan,Shearyna(3) and Amundson,Lynsey. Augustana -Koopman,K.; Pickett,C.(5) and Peterson,S..Win-Labasan,Shearyna(1-0) Loss-Pickett,C.(3-3) T-1:48 A-89HR WWU - Benson,Emily (1)
