BELLINGHAM, Wash. – There are good days at the ballpark, and then there was the day that Western Washington University senior Makinlee Sellevold had on Saturday.

 

For starters, the Senior out of Cascade High School in Everett threw the 25^th no-hitter in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history and recorded her 49^th and 50^th career pitching wins to become the all-time leader in WWU Softball history.

 

Adding to that, Sellevold went 2-0 recording a pair of complete-game shutout victories over Montana State Billings on Saturday, combining to allow only one hit and striking out 21 in 11.0 innings. 

 

"It was a blast to watch Makinlee do her thing today," said WWU first-year head coach Sheryl Gilmore. "She was untouchable against a great MSUB offense and she really fought for us today."

 

The Vikings improved to 8-5 overall and opened conference play with a doubleheader sweep over MSUB, winning 10-0 (5 innings) and 8-0 (6 innings) in games that were shortened due to the run mercy rule. 

 

"It was so fun to see the girls come together and play their game and let it fly at home," added Gilmore. "They prepared well all week and they were absolutely on point in all three phases of the game."

 

The Vikings collected 20 hits, 10 of which were doubles, while out-scoring the Yellowjackets 18-0. In the second game of the doubleheader the Vikings set a WWU single-game record and tied the GNAC mark with eight doubles. 

 

Sophomore right fielder Mackenzie Palmer combined to go 5-for-6 with a double and 3 RBI in the doubleheader, providing the walk-off two-run double in the nightcap.

 

Junior designated player Paityn Cyr was 3-for-6 in the doubleheader, including a pair of doubles in the second game, extending her hitting streak to 12 consecutive games.

 

The Vikings and Yellowjackets wrap up their GNAC opening series on Sunday with another doubleheader beginning at 12 pm at Viking Field on the WWU campus.

 

"I am so proud of the team and I can't wait to continue to watch them take the next step and grow together," concluded Gilmore.

 

 

WWU senior starting pitcher Makinlee Sellevold recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts while recording a complete-game, one-hit shutout in the Vikings 10-0 victory in a run-rule-shortened five innings.

 

Sellevold improved to 6-5 on the season and recorded her 49^th career victory to set the all-time WWU program record, breaking a tie with Amanda Grant (2000-03) and Jackie Quint (2004-07). Sellevold recorded her third double-digit strikeouts performance of the season, recording 12 of the 15 outs in the game via strikeout.

 

Western pounded out 9 hits, with sophomore right fielder Mackenzie Palmer (2-for-2, 2 R, RBI, BB) and senior first baseman Emily Benson (2-for-2, R, 2B, BB, 2 RBI) recording multi-hit games. Sellevold helped her own cause going 1-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI. Junior Paityn Cyr went 1-for-3 with one RBI to extend her career-high hitting streak to 11 consecutive games.

 

The Vikings jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, scoring a pair of runs in each the first and second innings.Benson got the scoring started with a two-run double to the right field gap in the bottom of the 1^st inning andPalmer brought home a run with a two-out single in the 2^nd inning. Another run scored on a MSUB fielding error.

 

WWU tagged on six more runs in the bottom of the 3^rd inning to extend the lead to 10-0. Sellevold drove home a pair of runs with a double down the right field line, and Seli Aholelei, Cyr and Benson also tabbed run-scoring singles.

 

MSUB designated player Morgan Quimby led off the top of the 3^rd inning with a single to right field for the Yellowjackets only hit of the game. Starting pitcher Maddy Lincoln (3-5) was saddled with the loss allowing 10 runs (7 ER) on 9 hits.

 

 

 

Makinlee Sellevold threw the 25^th no-hitter in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history and the fifth by the Vikings during the GNAC era to lead the Vikings to an 8-0 victory to cap the doubleheader sweep.

 

Sellevold allowed only three baserunners while striking out 9 batters, with MSUB reaching base only by a walk, hit-by-pitch and error. It was the first no-no by a Viking since Sarah McEnroe threw a 5-inning perfect game on April 10, 2009 vs. Northwest Nazarene.

 

Sophomore right fielder Mackenzie Palmer led the Vikings 11-hit attack at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI. Palmer ended the game in walk-off fashion with a double in the bottom of the 6^th inning to give the Vikings the 8-run lead to put the mercy rule in effect. 

 

Junior Paityn Cyr went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, extending her hitting streak to a career-high 12 consecutive games. Senior shortstop Cylie Richards went 2-for-3 with a double and 3 RBI. Freshman catcher Rachel Christensen was also 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and a pair of doubles.

 

The Vikings clubbed a school record 8 doubles, also tying the GNAC single-game mark.

 

 

WWU (8-5, 2-0 GNAC) continues its conference opening weekend hosting Montana State Billings in another doubleheader at Viking Field on Sunday beginning at noon. The game will stream online and feature live statistical updates with links available at WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

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 --