LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Western Washington University softball team opened the 2019 season going 1-1 during the first day of the 10^th Annual Desert Stinger at Majestic Park.

 

Led by first-year head coach Sheryl Gilmore, WWU defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills 8-0 in the first game and were defeated by No. 7 nationally-ranked and defending NCAA II West Region champion Chico State 12-2 in the second game. Both contests were 5-inning games due to the tournament run rule. 

 

The Vikings recorded 15 hits between the two games, including an 11-hit barrage in the win over CSUDH. Junior center fielder Jackie Lucido led the Vikings at the plate going 3-for-5 in the two games with a pair of RBI.

 

Senior Makinlee Sellevold started both games in the circle, including making her third career Opening Day start in the complete-game shutout victory over Dominguez Hills. Sellevold, who returned to the diamond after not playing in 2018, also tabbed the game-winning RBI in the season-opening victory. 

 

WWU (1-1) returns to action with a pair of games in the Desert Stinger on Saturday, facing Stanislaus State at 11:30 am and No. 23 UC San Diego at 2 pm. The Vikings conclude their five-game Desert Stinger schedule on Sunday facing 10^th-ranked Concordia-Irvine (1-1) at 2 pm.

 

 

Senior starting pitcher Makinlee Sellevold fired a 3-hit shutout in her third career Opening Day start to and plated the game-winnings runs as the Vikings opened the season with a 8-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in a run-rule-shortened 5-inning game.

 

The game was scoreless through the first four innings, before the Vikings unloaded for seven hits in the bottom of the 5^th inning to end the game.

 

Kira Doan, Seli Aholelei and Mackenzie Palmer ignited the 5^th-inning rally with three consecutive singles to open the frame, with Sellevold delivering a two-run single through the right side for the only runs WWU would need. Emily Benson, Jackie Lucido and Doan added run-scoring hits in the inning.

 

Sellevold (1-0) improved to 3-0 in her three career Opening Day starts, limiting the Toros to only three baserunners in her 5.0 innings of work. The performance marked her 41^st career complete game (5^th in WWU history) and 5^th career shutout (tied for 12^th). 

 

The Vikings recorded 11 hits – all singles – and were led by multi-hit games from Benson (2-for-3, R, RBI), Lucido (2-for-3, RBI) and Doan (2-for-3, R, RBI). The Vikings were 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

 

The Vikings threatened in the bottom of the 2^nd inning loading the bases, on three singles, but couldn't push home a run when Doan fouled out to the catcher to end the scoring opportunity. 

 

Sellevold wiggled out of a jam in the top of the 5^th inning, stranding a leadoff extra-base hit on third base to keep the game scoreless.

 

CSUDH's Jessica Olivera (1-1) was saddled with the loss allowing 4 runs and 4 hits her short relief outing (0.1 IP). Center fielder Amanda Canizales went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles to account for two of the Toro's three hits off Sellevold.

 

 

 

The No. 7 nationally-ranked Chico State Wildcats used an eight-run 4^th inning to power past Western Washington 12-2 in a run-rule-shortened five-inning game to close out the first day of the Desert Stinger. 

 

WWU led 2-1 through the first three innings, but Chico capitalized on three Viking fielding errors and sent x batters to the plate in the big 4^th inning.

 

Chico State (2-0) struck first in the top of the 2^nd inning when starting pitcher Naomi Monahan led off with a solo home run to left field.

 

The Vikings pulled even in the bottom of the 2^nd on a run-scoring single by Jackie Lucido and pulled ahead in the 3^rd inning scoring a run on three consecutive two-out fielding errors by the Wildcats.

 

Chico State, the 2018 NCAA II West Region Champion, tied things up on three walks and a fielder's choice in the top of the 4^th inning, and then added seven more runs in the inning to take a 9-2 lead. A pair of fielding errors by freshman third baseman Brooke Fesenbek, and three total errors in the inning, accounted for six unearned runs in the inning.

 

Senior starting pitcher Makinlee Sellevold (1-1) was saddled with the loss allowing 8 runs (3 ER) and 6 walks in 3.2 innings. Kira Doan pitched the remainder of the game allowing 4 hits and 4 runs (3 ER) in 1.1 innings.

 

WWU was limited to 4 hits by Chico State starter Naomi Monahan (1-0), who went 15-1 for the Wildcats last season. Sophomore right fielder Mackenzie Palmer went 1-for-3 with a double for WWU's first extra-base hit of the season.

 

 

The Vikings (1-1) return to action Saturday with a pair of games in the Desert Stinger. WWU plays Stanislaus State (1-1) at 11:30 am and then takes on No. 23 UC San Diego (1-1) at 2 pm. Both games will be played on Field 11 at Majestic Park in Las Vegas, with live stats available at the Desert Stinger Tournament Central.

 

Here is a look at WWU's schedule and results from the season-opening Desert Stinger:

 

 

Five players made their WWU debuts on Friday, with freshman Rachel Christensen starting both games at catcher…freshmen Sam Mutolo and Brooke Fesenbek, and junior college transfers Seli Aholelei and Tamia Hirano also saw their first collegiate action.

 

The Vikings are making their eighth appearance in the Desert Stinger, and with today's 1-1 record are 21-16 all-time in the tournament…WWU did not appear in the Desert Stinger in 2010 and 2017…Western has posted a winning record five of seven trips to the Desert Stinger, including a perfect 5-0 record in 2011 and 4-1 in 2013.

 

WWU improved to 12-15 all-time in season openers with the 8-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills…have won 6 of last 9 season openers dating back to 2011…recorded the third Opening Day shutout in program history, joining a 3-0 win over Eastern Oregon in 1996 and 16-0 over Lewis-Clark State in 1995.

 

Up-to-date season information, including season statistics, bios, roster, schedule and historical information can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/Softball. WWU Softball also has a strong social media presence on Instagram and Twitter via their handle @WWU_Softball.

 

The WWU softball program enters its 27^th season in 2019 with an all-time winning percentage of .545 (633-529-1). The Vikings have posted a winning record in 16 seasons and made four trips to the NCAA Division II Championships. WWU won the 1998 NAIA National Championship to record the school's first team national title. Over the last five seasons the program has recorded a 135-104 (.565) and won the 2017 GNAC Tournament to advance to the NCAA II West Regional in Monterey, California. In the first game of the regional, the No. 8-seed Vikings beat top-seed and regional host Cal State Monterey Bay for the program's first NCAA Championships victory.

 

-- WWU Softball –