BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team again turned in a dominating pitching performance while splitting its Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader vs. Saint Martin's University.

WWU's starting pitcher Sydney Brown and Kira Doan combined to allow only one earned run and nine hits in a pair of complete-game efforts.

The Vikings dropped the opening game of the doubleheader 3-2 and battled back for a 6-1 victory in the nightcap to complete the split.

WWU is now 28-21 on the season and in 3rd place in the GNAC at 14-8. Saint Martin's (28-17, 16-6) is tied for first place in the conference with Northwest Nazarene. WWU, NNU and SMU have all secured a spot in the four-team GNAC Championships that will be held May 5-7 in Lacey.

The Vikings out-hit the Saints 21-9 in the doubleheader, led by four hits from freshman Kanilehua Pitoy (4-for-8, 2B, 2 R, RBI0 and three hits each by seniors Chantelle Shimabukuro (3-for-7, R), Dakota Brooks (3-for-8, R, RBI) and Tatum Dow (3-for-8, 2 R, 2B, RBI).

The Vikings (28-21, 14-8 GNAC) conclude the regular season with two more games vs. Saint Martin's, tentatively scheduled for Saturday with a noon start time to the doubleheader at Viking Field. With rain in the 24-hour forecast, there is a chance the games could get pushed to Sunday with a start time around noon. Whether Saturday or Sunday, WWU's seven-player senior class will be recognized in a special pregame ceremony. A live webcast and statistical updates will be provided for all games in the four-game home series with links at wwuvikings.com/Live.

The Vikings and Saints were locked in a pitcher's duel with the opening game of the doubleheader scoreless through the first five innings.

WWU's Sydney Brown and SMU's Tia Ridings matched each other with dominating starts, but the Saints struck first in the top of the 6th inning with an unearned run to grab a 1-0 lead.

The Vikings fought back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 6th inning. Kanilehua Pitoy led off with a hustle double and scored the game-tying run on a single up the middle by Dakota Brooks. Junior designated player Brooke Fesenbek put the Vikings ahead with a two-strike single to right field. WWU stranded the bases loaded unable to add on to its one-run lead.

The Saints answered in the top of the 7th inning scoring a pair of unearned runs with two outs to take the 3-2 lead. Malia Pinder and Kylee Vanderbout tabbed back-to-back two-out run-scoring singles.

Western put the potential tying run on base to begin the bottom of the 7th, but couldn't pull even to drop its sixth one-run game of the season.

Brown (8-6) was the tough-luck loser allowing three unearned runs while scattering five hits in the complete-game effort. Brooks led WWU at the plate going 2-for-4 for her team-leading 18th multi-hit game of the season.

Saint Martin's relief pitcher Chloe Leverington (11-3) earned the win with 2.0 scoreless frames. Riddings allowed six hits and two runs in 5.0 innings.

The Vikings scored all six of their runs in the first four innings and senior Kira Doan threw a complete-game 4-hitter to lead the WWU to the 6-1 victory to clinch the doubleheader split.

Doan improved to 12-7 on the season with another masterful start, limiting the Saints to four singles while recording five strikeouts. 

The Vikings came alive at the plate with 12 hits, led by a 3-for-4 performance by Kanilehua Pitoy and multi-hit games by seniors Tatum Dow, Chantelle Shimabukuro and Lauren Lo. 

WWU got off to a quick start with a run in the bottom of the 1st inning and added a pair of runs on a double by Dow and a single by Pitoy in the 2nd inning to jump out to a 3-0 lead. 

Saint Martin's scored its only run of the game in the top of the 4th inning, but the Vikings turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning and any comeback attempt by the Saints.

Left fielder Rylie Wales provided the big hit with a two-run double in the bottom of the 4th inning to extend the lead to 6-1.

SMU starter Abby Runyon (7-7) was saddled with the loss allowing seven hits and four runs in 2.1 innings. Third baseman Kylee Vanderbout recorded two of the Saints four hits going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings following play on Friday with the Vikings remaining in third place in the conference standings behind Saint Martin's and Northwest Nazarene. SMU, NNU and WWU have all secured a spot in the four-team GNAC Championships Tournament.