Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University softball team opened conference play with a doubleheader split against visiting Montana State Billings on Saturday at Viking Field, falling just short in the opener before freshman pitcher Anna Kasner recorded an 11-strikeout, 1-hit pitching performance and junior first baseman Emily Benson belted a grand slam home run during a 5-inning victory in the second game.

MSU Billings (5-10, 1-1 GNAC) edged WWU (8-4, 1-1 GNAC), 7-6, in the opener before the Vikings rolled to a 9-0 win in the second game. The Yellowjackets scored 5 runs over the final three innings of the opener but WWU put the tying run on second base in the bottom of the 7th inning before coming up short, while a 6-run 2nd inning highlighted the WWU offense in game two.

Benson (West Richland, WA/Kamiakin), who entered Saturday with a .567 batting average to lead the conference, went 2-for-3 with 4 RBI, 4 runs and 4 walks during the day while extending her hitting streak to 12 games. Freshman outfielder Mackenzie Palmer (Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer) was 3-for-6 with 2 RBI, a run and a walk to help lead the offense.

WWU and MSU Billings were scheduled to begin playing at noon on Saturday, but a mix of rain and snow during the morning pushed the start time for the first game back to shortly after 1 pm.

The Vikings conclude the series against the `Jackets with a doubleheader set to start at noon on Sunday.

The Vikings scored 4 runs over the last two innings and put the tying run on second base in the bottom of the 7th inning but MSU Billings held off WWU in the GNAC opener for both teams.

MSU Billings grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning before the Vikings responded to tie the game via an RBI double from senior second baseman Kali Patterson (Bonney Lake, WA) and RBI single from sophomore centerfielder McKenna Mathis (Mesa, WA/Connell) in the bottom of the 4th inning.

The `Jackets regained the lead with a 3-run 5th inning by putting together 4 hits in the frame, including a 2-run home run from Kelsey Devlin. MSU Billings extended the lead to 6-2 with a run in the 6th inning on a two-out RBI single before the Vikings responded with a 3-run inning of their own during the bottom of the 6th.

WWU rallied with two outs in the 6th inning, as freshman left fielder Jackie Lucido (San Jose, CA/Piedmont Hills) and Mathis walked before sophomore third baseman Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll) reached on an error, scoring Lucido. A double steal with runners on first and third, followed by an RBI double from Mackenzie Palmer, accounted for the other runs in the inning.

Trailing 7-5 entering the bottom of the 7th inning, Emily Benson led off with a walk and later scored with a two-out RBI double from senior catcher Mackenzie Hughes (Ellensburg, WA). Freshman Kylisa Hull (Redmond, WA/Lake Washington) entered the game for Hughes as a pinch runner, but a groundout ended the game with the tying run stranded.

Maddy Lincoln picked up the win, improving to 4-4 with a complete-game effort. She allowed 6 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits with 1 strikeout and 4 walks.

Junior Makinlee Sellevold (Everett, WA/Cascade) dropped to 2-2, allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 10 hits. She struck out 8 and walked 4.

MSU Billings 7, Western Washington 6 (Mar 04, 2017 at Bellingham, WA) (Game 1)----------------------------------------------------------------------MSU Billings........ 020 031 1 -  7 10  2      (5-9, 1-0)Western Washington.. 000 203 1 -  6  9  2      (7-4, 0-1)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: MSU Billings - Lincoln,Maddy and Kelly,Madison. Western Washington -Sellevold,Makinlee and Hughes,Mackenzie.Win-Lincoln,Maddy(4-4)  Loss-Sellevold,Makinlee(2-2)  T-2:25  A-0HR MSUB - Devlin,Kelsey (4).Weather: 42 degrees, cloudy.

The Vikings responded from the narrow defeat in the opener with a commanding victory in the second game, as freshman starting pitcher Anna Kasner (Milton, WA/Fife) struck out 11 and allowed just 1 hit while the Vikings scored 6 runs in the 2nd inning en route to the win.

Emily Benson punctuated the 6-run 2nd inning with a grand slam home run as 1 of 3 hits in the inning to give WWU a 6-0 lead. She belted her 5th home run of the season, and 24th of her career, over the left field fence with two outs in the inning.

Shearyna Labasan had opened the scoring in the game with an RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to Mackenzie Palmer gave WWU a 2-0 advantage prior to the home run. The Vikings worked 4 walks in addition to the 3 hits during the frame, and freshman shortstop Paityn Cyr (Mount Vernon, WA) was hit by a pitch as WWU sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.

The Vikings added an unearned run with two outs in the 3rd inning before an RBI double from Cyr and sacrifice fly from Mackenzie Hughes built the lead to 9-0 in the 4th inning.

After allowing a single to the second batter of the game, Kasner struck out eight batters in a row, with one reaching base via a dropped third strike. The only other baserunner to reach in the game came via a hit by pitch in the 5th inning.

Kasner improved to 3-2 for the season with her third double-digit strikeout performance of the season. She struck out 8 of the 9 batters in the MSU Billings lineup.

Megan Dettling (1-5) took the loss, allowing 9 runs (8 earned) on 7 hits.

Western Washington 9, MSU Billings 0 (Mar 04, 2017 at Bellingham, WA) (Game 2)----------------------------------------------------------------------MSU Billings........ 000 00 -  0  1  2      (5-10, 1-1)Western Washington.. 061 2X -  9  7  0      (8-4, 1-1)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: MSU Billings - Dettling,Megan and Kelly,Madison. Western Washington - Kasner,Anna andHughes,Mackenzie.Win-Kasner,Anna(3-2)  Loss-Dettling,Megan(1-5)  T-1:30  A-90HR WWU - Benson,Emily (5).Weather: 42 degrees, cloudy.