March 19, 2016

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University softball team was swept in a doubleheader by Concordia Saturday afternoon in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Viking Field.

The Vikings were defeated by the Cavaliers 8-2 in Game 1 and 9-3 in Game 2 to even their season record at 11-11 overall and 6-6 in conference play. Concordia improved to 17-8 overall and 5-1 in GNAC play with its eighth win in the last nine games.

Sophomore first baseman Emily Benson (West Richland, WA/Kamiakin) went 3-for-6 with 2 doubles, a home run and drove in 4 of WWU's 7 runs in the doubleheader. She hit her team-leading 7th home run of the season in the 6th inning of G#2, matching her season total from all of last season. Her 14 career home runs are 5th-most in WWU history.

Sophomore left fielder Sarah Morrow (Enumclaw, WA) was also 4-for-7 in today's games and junior second baseman Kali Patterson (Bonney Lake, WA) was 3-for-8 with one RBI.

Taylor Copher (6-for-7, 6 R, 2B, 2 RBI) and Taylor Bussey (5-for-7, 3 R, 4 2B, 4 RBI) led the Cavaliers offensively in the sweep.

The Vikings return to action tomorrow hosting Western Oregon in a GNAC doubleheader in Bellingham. Due to forecasted rainy weather tomorrow, the doubleheader has been moved up to a 10 am start time.

Concordia 8, Western Washington 2 // GAME 1
Box Score| Game Book

Concordia jumped out an early 2-0 lead after its half of the 2nd inning and never looked back in an 8-2 win over the Vikings in the first game of the GNAC Doubleheader.

Cavaliers starting pitcher Mattie Boucher (5-3) earned the win allowing 5 hits and 2 runs (1 ER) while earning the complete-game victory.

Third baseman Taylor Copher (3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI and shortstop Taylor Bussey (3-for-4, 2 RBI) led CU's 12-hit attack at the plate. Catcher Courtney Somers added her fourth home run of the season to lead off the four-run 5th inning.

Vikings starter Makinlee Sellevold (Everett, WA/Cascade) took the loss to fall to 4-5 on the season allowing a season-high 12 hits and 8 runs.

Sophomore first baseman Emily Benson went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and one RBI. Freshman center fielder McKenna Mathis (Mesa, WA/Connell) went 1-for-3 and recorded her first collegiate hit.

Concordia 8, Western Washington 2 (Mar 19, 2016 at Bellingham, WA) (Game 1)----------------------------------------------------------------------Concordia........... 020 040 2 -  8 12  1      (16-8, 4-1 GNAC)Western Washington.. 000 110 0 -  2  5  2      (11-10, 6-5 GNAC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Concordia - Boucher and SomersWestern Washington - Sellevold and Hughes.Win-Boucher (5-3)  Loss-Sellevold (4-5)  T-1:36HR CU - Somers (4)

Concordia 9, Western Washington 3 // GAME 2
Box Score| Game Book

Concordia held a 3-0 lead through the 5th inning of the second game of the doubleheader, and then put the game away with a 6-run 6th inning that included 7 hits.

Western got on the board in the bottom half of the 6th inning with Emily Benson crushing a 3-run home run over the right field fence.

The Vikings surrendered a season-high 13 hits, with Taylor Copher (3-for-3, 3 R, 2B), Taylor Bussey (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 2 B, 2 RBI, BB) and Kelsie Merritt (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI) leading the way.

CU starting pitcher Karlie Merritt moved her record to 7-0 on the season allowing 6 hits and 3 runs in 6.0 innings.

WWU starting pitcher Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll) dropped to 7-4 on the season suffering the loss by allowing 12 hits and 9 runs (8 ER) in 5.1 IP. Junior Aspen Ison (Gig Harbor, WA/Peninsula) struck out 2 and allowed one hit in the final 1.2 innings.

Kali Patterson went 2-for-4 to extend her hitting streak to 5 games and Sarah Morrow went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Benson went 1-for-3 to extend her hitting streak to a career-high 7 consecutive games.

Concordia 9, Western Washington 3 (Mar 19, 2016 at Bellingham, WA) (Game 2)----------------------------------------------------------------------Concordia........... 010 206 0 -  9 13  1      (17-8, 5-1 GNAC)Western Washington.. 000 003 0 -  3  8  3      (11-11, 6-6 GNAC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Concordia - Lambourn, Merritt (7) and SomersWestern Washington - Labasan, Ison (6) and HughesWin-Lambourn (7-0)  Loss-Labasan (7-4)  T-1:41  A-117HR WWU - Benson (7)Weather: Cloudy, Light Wind