BILLINGS, Mont. – The Western Washington University softball team recorded a pair of wins over Montana State University Billings on Saturday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at Avitus Group Stadium.

The Vikings defeated the Yellowjackets by scores of 4-0 and 8-5 to improve to 15-13 overall and 4-2 in GNAC play. 

Senior first baseman Dakota Brooks led the Vikings offensively in the doubleheader sweep combining to go 5-for-8 with a double, home runs, two runs scored and three RBI. Brooks was 3-for-4 with a three-run home run to fuel the nightcap victory.

Overall the Vikings recorded 22 hits, scored 10 runs and made only one fielding error in the pair of road victories over MSUB. WWU's pitching trio of Sydney Brown, Kira Doan and Joie Baker combined to allow only 10 hits and five runs.

The Vikings (15-13, 4-2 GNAC) remain in Billings closing out the four-game GNAC series vs. the Yellowjackets on Sunday with first pitch of the doubleheader scheduled for 12 pm MT/11 am PT. Follow all the action with a free webcast and live statistical updates at wwuvikings.com/Live.

Sydney Brown nearly single-handedly lifted the Vikings the 4-0 victory in the opening game of the doubleheader, tossing a 2-hit shutout and drove in a pair of runs at the plate including a solo home run in the 4th inning.

WWU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning when Brown executed a squeeze bunt to drive in Chantelle Shimabukuro. Brown helped her own cause again in the 4th inning with a solo homer to left field.

The Vikings added a pair of insurance runs in the 6th inning with a run scoring on a fielding error and another on an RBI single by Shimabukuro.

Brown improved to 4-2 on the season by allowing just a pair of singles in the complete-game effort, recording four strikeouts and walking one. Brown also went 2-for-3 at the plate with her first home run of the season.

Dakota Brooks (2-for-4) and Shimabukuro (2-for-3) also recorded multi-hit games for the Vikings, who out-hit the Yellowjackets 8-2. 

MSUB starter Alyssa Etheridge (4-6) was saddled with the loss allowing all four runs (2 ER) in the complete-game effort. Etheridge struck out seven and walked a pair of batters.

The Vikings completed the doubleheader sweep of MSUB with an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.

Dakota Brooks headlined the win over the Yellowjackets going 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI. With the Vikings leading 2-1 through three innings, Brooks hit a tape-measure three-run home run to straightaway center field to put WWU up 5-1. 

The Vikings would add another run in the 5th inning on a sacrifice fly by Tatum Dow and tacked on two insurance runs in the 7th inning on a solo home run by freshman Kanilehua Pitoy and a run-scoring single by Dow.

Freshman Joie Baker evened her season record at 6-6 scattering five hits and allowing four runs in 5.0 innings of relief work. Senior starter Kira Doan allowed three hits and one run in her 2.0-inning start.

Dow (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI), Pitoy (2-for-4, R, HR, RBI), Rylie Wales (2-for-4, R) and Taylor Khorrami (2-for-3) each tabbed multi-hit games.

Left fielder Allie Hughes and third baseman Marin Penney each hit home runs for the Yellowjackets. 

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 30th season in 2022. WWU advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the fifth time in program history in 2021 after winning the GNAC Tournament. WWU has posted a winning record 18 times during the 30-year history of the program, which won the 1998 NAIA National Championship in only its sixth season to record the school's first ever team national title. During the eight-season span from 2014-2021, the Vikings combined to go 195-148 and won a pair of GNAC Tournament titles (2017 & 2019).