BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University senior starting pitcher Anna Kasner recorded her 18^th career shutout to tie the program record, leading the Vikings to a 2-0 victory over Montana State Billings Saturday morning at Viking Field.
 
The victory, WWU's sixth blanking of the season, secured a 3-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference series victory for the Vikings. Western improved to 15-5 overall and 6-2 in GNAC play with its eighth win in the last 10 games. MSUB dropped 6-18 overall and 2-6 in GNAC play.
 
"Our pitching definitely kept us in the games this weekend which is what we need when we have an off weekend in production offensively," said WWU head coach Sheryl Gilmore. "We know in the GNAC, every game is a battle and we are looking forward to making some adjustments this week in our hitting and preparing for Saint Martins."
 
Kasner improved to 7-1 on the season scattering four hits in her fourth shutout and sixth complete-game performance of the season. Her 18^th career shutout ties the program record with Amanda Grant (2000-03) and is tied for 5^th in GNAC history.
 
The Vikings got on the board first with runs in each of the first two innings. Brooke Fesenbek looped a ball to center field in the bottom of the 1^st inning to plate a run and Chantelle Shimabukuro doubled in a run in the bottom of the 2^nd inning.
 
Shortstop Tatum Dow went 2-for-3 to finish the four-game series 8-for-12 and right fielder Mackenzie Palmer went 2-for-3 to finish the series 5-for-9 with three runs scored. Fesenbek added a 2-for-3 day at the plate to finish the series 6-for-13.
 
"It's been awesome to see Tatum and Brooke, in particular, find their swing and their approach at the plate," added Gilmore. "They've been putting in a lot of intentional work and it's paying off for them."
 
MSUB starting pitcher Alyssa Etheridge (2-4) took the loss allowing seven hits and two runs in the complete-game effort. Shortstop Sidney Pollard went 2-for-2 to lead the Yellowjackets at the plate.
 

WWU 2, MSUB 0 (April 3, 2021 at Bellingham, WA)
Score by Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	-	R	H	E	LOB	Record
MSU Billings	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-	0	4	0	6	6-18, 2-6 GNAC
Western Washington	1	1	0	0	0	0	x	-	2	7	1	5	15-5, 6-2 GNAC
MSUB – Etheridge and Jenkins
WWU – Kasner and  Hardy
Win: Kasner (7-1)     Save: None       Loss: Etheridge (2-4) WWU HR: None        MSUB HR: None Time of Game: 1:51

  The Vikings (15-5, 6-2 GNAC) returns to GNAC play next weekend with a four-game road series at Saint Martin's University in Lacey. Doubleheaders are scheduled to be played Saturday (1 pm first pitch) and Sunday (noon first pitch) at the SMU Softball Field. With no fans allowed due to GNAC and COVID protocols, fans can follow the action online with a direct link available for your computers and devices at WWUVikings.com/SB_Watch.
  Senior Anna Kasner recorded seven strikeouts Saturday vs. MSUB, moving her to within four strikeouts of the WWU record of 478. Kasner now has 474 career strikeouts to rank No. 4 in GNAC history. Her 8.86 strikeouts per 7.0 innings pitched is the best ratio in WWU history and 2^nd-best in GNAC history. Here is a look at where Kasner ranks in both WWU and GNAC history for strikeouts:
 

WWU ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS
1.	478	Quint, Jackie	2004-07
2.	474	Kasner, Anna	2017-18, 20-21
3.	438	Quint, Erika	2010-11
4.	389	Grant, Amanda	2000-03
5.	378	Sellevold, Makinlee	2015-17,19
6.	309	Haukaas, Alison	1996-99
7.	304	Labasan, Shearyna	2016-19
8.	284	McEnroe, Sarah	2007-10
9.	239	Walker, Nicole	2004-07
10.	234	Kiekenapp, Kristen	2000-03
GNAC ALL-TIME STRIKEOUTS
1.	511	Herman, Adrian (NNU)	2003-06
2.	478	Quint, Jackie (WWU)	2004-07
3.	477	Martin, Erin (Seattle)	2005-08
4.	474	Kasner, Anna (WWU)	2017-18, 20-21
5.	470	Prescott, Lizzy (HSU)	2005-06
6.	438	Quint, Erika (WWU)	2010-11
7.	433	Badgley, Sara (CWU)	2004-05, 07
8.	432	Vlahovich, Linse (CWU)	2006-09
9.	423	Hadenfeld, Lauren (CWU)	2010-11
10.	414	Gau, Maria (CWU)	2011-14

  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 its 29^th season in 2021, with the Vikings posting a winning record 17 times. WWU won the 1998 NAIA National Championship in only its sixth season 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 172-134 and won the 2017 GNAC Tournament to advance to the NCAA II West Regional in Monterey, California. Head coach Sheryl Gilmore is in her third season at the helm of the program in 2020 after leading WWU to 27 wins, tied for the 10^th-most in program history, in her first campaign in 2019.