Box Score | Box Score

KANEOHE, Hawai'i -- The Western Washington University softball team opened the 2017 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of Hawai'i Pacific at Howard Okita Field on Saturday as part of a six-game Hawai'i road trip to begin the season.

WWU (2-0) took the season opener, 4-1, before holding off the Sharks (0-2) with a 3-2 win in the second game.

Junior Emily Benson (West Richland, WA/Kamiakin) went 4-for-5 with 3 RBI and 2 runs for the day, including a 2-run home run (20th career) to break a 1-1 tie in the first game. Benson become the 28th player in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history to hit 20 career home runs.

Freshman Paityn Cyr (Mount Vernon, WA) was 3-for-4 in her collegiate debut during the 4-1 win.

Junior Makinlee Sellevold (Everett, WA/Cascade) and sophomore Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll) each threw complete games in the circle.

Western Washington continues its road trip Sunday with a doubleheader against Chaminade in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The first game is set to begin at 4:30 PM PT.

WWU 4, Hawai'i Pacific 1 // GAME 1

Box Score

Emily Benson broke a tie with a 2-run home run in the 3rd inning and Makinlee Sellevold tossed a complete game as the Vikings topped the Sharks 4-1 in the season opener for both teams.

Each team plated a run during the 2nd inning before Benson's 20th career home run broke the tie. WWU struck first with a two-out RBI fielder's choice by junior Sarah Morrow (Enumclaw, WA), scoring senior Mackenzie Hughes (Ellensburg, WA). Hughes had singled with one out earlier in the frame.

The Sharks answered in the bottom of the 2nd after Kiana Wolfe singled, stole second and later scored on a two-out single from Mari Kajiwara.

Benson homered to right field in the top of the 3rd inning after a leadoff walk to senior Kali Patterson (Bonney Lake, WA).

WWU threatened to add to the lead in the 5th inning after loading the bases before sophomore Shearyna Labasan lined out to end the inning.

The WWU offense broke through for an insurance run in the 7th inning when Labasan sent a two-out single down the right-field line, scoring freshman Jackie Lucido (San Jose, CA/Piedmont Hills) who had pinch run for Paityn Cyr after Cyr singled to begin the inning.

Sellevold (1-0) allowed 1 earned run on 4 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks in picking up the win.

Benson was 1-for-2 with 2 walks while Cyr finished 3-for-4 in her collegiate debut. Morrow (2-for-5) and Labasan (2-for-4, RBI) also had multi-hit games.

Western Washington 4, Hawaii Pacific 1 (Feb 04, 2017 at Kaneohe, HI) (Game 1)----------------------------------------------------------------------Western Washington.. 012 000 1 -  4 10  0      (1-0)Hawaii Pacific...... 010 000 0 -  1  4  0      (0-1)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Western Washington - Sellevold,Makinlee and Hughes,Mackenzie. Hawaii Pacific -Morales,Alexis; Nowack,Gabriella(7) and Toyama,Carolann; Walker,Dominique.Win-Sellevold,Makinlee(1-0)  Loss-Morales,Alexis(0-1)  T-1:57  A-0HR WWU - Benson,Emily (1).Weather: Hazy, 79

WWU 3, Hawai'i Pacific 2 // GAME 2

Box Score

Emily Benson went 3-for-3 and the Vikings plated one run apiece in the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th innings in holding off Hawai'i Pacific for the 3-2 nightcap victory.

Benson led off the 2nd inning with an infield single and later scored on a one-out RBI single from Shearyna Labasan.

WWU upped its lead to 2-0 in the 3rd inning after freshman Mackenzie Palmer (Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer) reached on an error and later scored after back-to-back singles from Kali Patterson and Benson.

The Sharks cut the lead to 2-1 during the 4th inning when Nicole Viena scored Sienna Santiago with a sacrifice fly. HPU put runners on second and third later in the frame, but Labasan prevented further damage with an inning-ending strikeout. HPU had taken advantage of a WWU error in the inning in scoring the unearned run.

The Vikings scored their third run after Patterson led off the 6th with an infield single and advanced around to third following a single from Benson and a groundout. Patterson scored when Labasan reached on a fielding error -- the second unearned run allowed by the Sharks in the game.

HPU answered the WWU offense again with a run in the bottom of the 6th with a two-out RBI triple by Mari Kajiwara before a fly out ended the inning. Labasan retired the side in order during the 7th inning to secure the win.

Benson had a run scored and RBI during the game while Patterson finished 2-for-3 with a run.

Labasan (1-0) allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits with 1 strikeout and a pair of walks.

Western Washington 3, Hawaii Pacific 2 (Feb 04, 2017 at Kanehoe, HI) (Game 2)----------------------------------------------------------------------Western Washington.. 011 001 0 -  3  7  1      (2-0)Hawaii Pacific...... 000 101 0 -  2  6  2      (0-2)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Western Washington - Labasan,Shearyna and Boyd,Alex; Richards,Carlie.Hawaii Pacific - Curry,Jordan and Walker,Dominique.Win-Labasan,Shearyna(1-0)  Loss-Curry,Jordan(0-1)  T-1:49  A-103Weather: Haz, overcast, 81