ELLENSBURG, Wash. – In what could have been the last games of the 2020 season, the Western Washington University softball team split its Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader on the road at Central Washington University.

The Vikings defeated the Wildcats 8-6 in the opening game behind 12 strikeouts in the circle and 2-for-4, 3-RBI performance at the plate by junior Anna Kasner.

Central defeated the Vikings 1-0 in the nightcap behind a 3-hitter from CWU junior right-hander Lexie Strasser.

WWU is now 10-12 on the season and 5-5 in GNAC play. The Vikings and Wildcats were originally supposed to play on Sunday, but projected inclement weather move the game to Thursday. All GNAC competition in spring sports has been suspended starting Friday, meaning WWU's scheduled doubleheader on Saturday at Saint Martin's will not be played.

Due to concerns of the spreading of the COVID-19 virus, the NCAA has cancelled the remainder of the winter sports championships and the upcoming spring championships, which impacts the softball season. More information will be posted on WWUVikings.com when it becomes available. 

Anna Kasner recorded the complete-game victory with 12 strikeouts in the circle and helped her own cause going 2-for-4 with a 3-run home run at the plate in the 8-6 game one victory.

Kasner reached double-digits in strikeouts for the third time this season and 13^th time in her career, passing the 100-strikeout mark for the season in her 14^th appearance, 13^th start. 

WWU held a 4-1 lead following Kasner's 3-run home run in the top of the 3^rd inning, but CWU battled back to tie the score with a run in the 3^rd and three more tallies in the bottom of the 5^th. The Vikings forged ahead in the 6^th inning on a two-out, run-scoring single by second baseman Chantelle Shimabukuro. WWU added three key insurance runs in the top of the 7^th inning with sophomore third baseman Brooke Fesenbek driving in a pair of runs with a bases loaded single and senior designated player Paityn Cyr plating a run with a sacrifice fly. 

CWU scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the 7^th inning on a two-out double by pinch-hitter Theresa Moyle, but Kasner got the final out on a groundout to record her eighth win of the season.

Shimabukuro (3-for-4, R, RBI) and Kasner (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) combined for five of the Vikings nine hits in the game.

WWU junior pitcher Kira Doan allowed only one unearned run in a complete-game effort, but Central Washington defeated the Vikings 1-0 to pick up the doubleheader split.

Doan scattered five hits in her second consecutive solid start, but was saddled with the tough-luck loss falling to 2-4 on the season.

CWU junior pitcher Lexie Strasser fired a 3-hit shutout to lead the Wildcats to the victory improving to 13-9 on the season and 4-2 in league play. 

Senior Kylisa Hull recorded her first career multi-hit game, leading WWU at the plate going 2-for-2.

The Vikings had the potential tying run in scoring position after senior center fielder Jackie Lucido drew a one-out walk, but senior Paityn Cyr grounded out to third base to end the contest.

CWU scored its lone run in the bottom of the 4^th inning when Maddy Zerr scored on fielding error.

The Vikings (10-12, 5-5 GNAC) don't exactly know what is next. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference has suspended all spring sports and the NCAA has already cancelled the spring championships season. When we have more information, we will pass it along, but please take care of your friends, family, teammates, coaches and be safe.

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 enters the 28^th season in program history, with the Vikings posting a winning record in 17 seasons. WWU won the 1998 NAIA National Championship to record the school's first ever team national title and has made four trips to the NCAA Division II Regional Championships, last in 2017. Over the last six seasons (since 2014), the Vikings are 162-122 (.555) and won the 2017 GNAC Tournament to advance to the NCAA II West Regional in Monterey, California. Head coach Sheryl Gilmore is in her second season at the helm of the program in 2019, leading WWU to 27 wins, tied for the 10^th-most in program history, in her first campaign in 2019.