NAMPA, Idaho – The Western Washington University softball team started off a four-game away series against Northwest Nazarene University with a doubleheader split Friday at Halle Field.

Playing with temperatures hovering around freezing, WWU dropped the opening game 4-0 despite out-hitting the Nighthawks 8-7 and rebounded with a 6-1 victory in the nightcap. 

The Vikings improved to 5-0 on the season with three wins in the last four games. NNU had its five-game winning streak snapped with the second-game loss to move to 8-6. Despite being conference rivals, these games did not count towards the official GNAC standings.

The Vikings received a pair of solid pitching performances from freshman Joie Baker and senior Kira Doan, with the duo combining to allow only five runs and 10 hits on the day. Western's defense also combined to play error-free in 49 total chances.

The offense tallied 20 hits, led by senior center fielder Lauren Lo combining to go 5-for-8 with a pair of doubles, a triple and one RBI. Senior All-American Tatum Dow recorded a hit in each game to extend her hitting streak to 11 consecutive games.

The Vikings return to action next weekend with four "non-conference" games against GNAC foe Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho. WWU will play NNU in a pair of doubleheaders, beginning Friday at 1 pm MT/12 pm PT and Saturday at 12 pm MT/11 am PT at Halle Softball Field.

The Vikings found themselves in a pitching duel with Northwest Nazarene, but surrendered a late lead and dropped the first game of the doubleheader 4-0. 

The Vikings outhit the nighthawks 8-7, but were limited to 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base to endure their third shutout loss of the season.

Reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year Sidney Booth earned the win in a complete-game shutout for the nighthawks, allowing eight hits and striking out seven. Booth also scored the go-ahead run in the 5th inning.

WWU freshman starting pitcher Joie Baker, coming off a historic 16-strikeout performance last week against UPS, continued her good form to start the game. Baker didn't give up a hit until the 4th inning, but allowed four in the bottom of the 5th before being relieved by Kira Doan.

Senior center fielder Lauren Lo led the Vikings at the plate going 3-for-4 with three extra-base hits, recording a pair of doubles and a triple. The two-double performance moved her into 9th in WWU history with 28 career doubles. Sophomore right fielder Taylor Khorrami went 2-for-2 with a walk and senior shortstop Tatum Dow went 1-for-2 to extend her hitting streak to double-digits at 10 consecutive games.

Western Washington defeated Northwest Nazarene 6-1 in the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader.

WWU starting pitcher Kira Doan earned her second win of the season with a complete game gem. Doan faced only three batters over the minimum, allowing one run on three hits to even her season record at 2-2 and earned her 18th career victory toe tie for 15th-most in program history.

After being held scoreless in the opening game, the Vikings clicked offensively scoring runs in each of the first five innings and going 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position. 

Three Vikings had multi-hit performances and eight total players recorded a hit. Junior second baseman Chantelle Shimabukuro went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and one RBI. Senior center fielder Lauren Lodrove in a run going 2-for-4 and junior catcher Rachel Christensen was 2-for-3. Freshman shortstop Ellie Jespersen got the game started with a leadoff triple and finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.

A leadoff triple from Jespersen followed by a run-scoring single by senior first baseman Tatum Dow gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. The RBI single by Dow extended her hitting streak to 11 consecutive games.

The lead grew to two in the 2nd inning on a bases-loaded walk, and a 3rd-inning RBI double from Shimabukuro made it 3-0.

The Nighthawks got one back in the bottom of the 3rd, but Lo singled in another run in the 4th to make it 4-1.

Freshman Kanilehua Pitoy recorded the first RBI of her WWU career with a double through the left side in a two-run 5th inning that brought the lead to 6-1.

NNU starter Tori Hensley was saddled with the loss allowing nine hits and six runs in 4.0 innings to fall to 2-2 on the season. Second baseman Emma Mulligan went 2-for-2 and Madison Felter recorded the only other hit for the Nighthawks.

The Vikings (5-9) and Nighthawks are back in action tomorrow for another "non-conference" doubleheader starting at 12 pm MT/11 am PT at Halle Softball Field on the NNU campus. A live webcast and statistical updates will be made available by NNU with direct links at wwuvikings.com/22_SB.