ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Western Washington University softball team used a pair of dazzling pitching performances from senior Makinlee Sellevold and a walk-off home run from senior Emily Benson to record a pair of wins on the first day of the Dixie State Courtyard Classic at Canyons Softball Complex.

The Vikings used two big scoring innings and 3.1 innings of relief work from Sellevold in a 11-9 victory over Western New Mexico in the first game. After allowing a pair of runs in the first inning, Sellevold was spotless the rest of the and Benson provided a two-out, pinch-hit, walk-off home run in a 3-2 win over MSU Denver.

With the two wins, WWU improved to 3-2 on the season with both losses coming against nationally-ranked opponent's at last week's season-opening Desert Stinger in Las Vegas. 

The Vikings jumped out to a 9-4 lead after the first two innings, including a five-run first inning, and held on down the stretch for the 11-9 victory over Western New Mexico to open the day. 

Both teams exchanged big innings in the first inning, with senior shortstop Cylie Richards getting the Vikings started with a 2-run single and freshman catcher Sam Mutolo plated two more runs on a single to left field. All of WWU's five runs were scored with two outs.

WNMU cut into the lead on one swing of the bat from right fielder Carolyn Castillo, who hit a grand slam off WWU starter Seli Aholelei with one out in the bottom of the 1^st inning. 

Junior Paityn Cyr provided the big blast with a grand slam in the top of the 2^nd inning, extending WWU's led to 9-4. The home run was Cyr's second of the season and 13^th of her career to tie for 7^th-most in program history.

The Mustangs pulled to within one run with four two-out runs in the bottom of the 4^th inning, with left fielder Marina Garcia tabbing a 2-run single and Ariana Maldonado hitting a 2-run home run. 

The Vikings added pair of important insurance runs in the 5^th and 6^th innings, with Mutolo providing a run-scoring single and shortstop Cylie Richards driving home a run on a sacrifice fly. 

Mutolo, a freshman out of Mill Creek's Jackson High School, went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Richards went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. 

Senior Makinlee Sellevold came in to close out the 4^th inning to keep it a one-run game, stranding the bases loaded. The senior allowed only one run over the final 3.1 innings to close out the game and record the victory. Sellevold improved to 2-2 on the season and recorded her 45^th career victory to move into 3^rd place in WWU history.

Senior Emily Benson, WWU's all-time home run leader, blasted a two-out, pinch-hit, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 7^th inning to lift the Vikings to a 3-2 victory over MSU Denver.

WWU starter Makinlee Sellevold (3-2) allowed a pair of first-inning runs, and then held the Roadrunners scoreless the rest of the way for the complete-game victory.

The Vikings wiggled out of trouble in the top half of the 7^th inning, when Sellevold recorded a pair of strikeouts with the potential go-ahead run on third base. The first out of the inning was recorded at home plate when left fielder Lauren Lo gunned down a runner trying to score.

MSU Denver starter Julia Heitz recorded two quick outs to start the bottom of the 7^th inning, but up stepped Benson in a pinch-hitting role. The senior from Kennwick's Kamiakin High School blasted a 3-2 pitch deep over the fence in left field for the walk-off home run. It was the 32^nd home run of Benson's career, extending her own school record and moving up to 9^th in the GNAC record book.

The Vikings (3-2) continue play in the Dixie State Courtyard Classic on Friday with games against Fort Lewis College (2 pm PT/3 pm MT) and #21 Colorado Mesa (4:30 pm PT/5:30 pm MT). The complete tournament schedule with links to live statistical updates can be found via the tournament website onDixieStateAthletics.com. WWU concludes tournament play on Saturday facing Colorado State Pueblo (11:30 am PT/12:30 pm MT) and #17 Dixie State (2 pm PT/3 pm MT).

This marks the fourth consecutive season the Vikings have traveled to St. George, Utah to play in the Dixie State Classic. WWU is now 9-8 all-time in the tournament hosted by Dixie State University, going 2-3 in 2016, 2-2 in 2017, 3-3 in 2018 and is 2-0 in 2019.

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, Twitter and Facebook, so give them a follow!

The WWU softball program is in its 27^th season, with the Vikings posting 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 ever team national title. Over the last five seasons leading up to the 2019 season, the Vikings recorded a 135-104 (.565) record 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. Head coach Sheryl Gilmore is in her first season at the helm of the program.

-- WWU Softball –