BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team celebrated Senior Day Sunday with a doubleheader split against Saint Martin's University at Viking Field.

 

WWU honored the seven-player senior class of Lauren Lo, Rylie Wales, Kira Doan, Megan Marino, Chantelle Shimabukuro, Dakota Brooks and Tatum Dow prior to playing their final games at Viking Field.

 

The Vikings defeated the Saints 4-0 in the opening game behind a complete-game shutout by Doan, but dropped the nightcap to close the regular season at 29-22 overall and finished in third place in the GNAC at 15-9.

 

WWU and Saint Martin's will meet in the opening game of the upcoming GNAC Championships on Thursday (May 5), with the No. 3 seed Vikings playing the No. 2 seed Saints at SMU Softball Field at noon. Regular-season conference champion Northwest Nazarene is the No. 1 seed and Central Washington is the No. 4 seed. WWU is the defending conference tournament champions.

 

Doan tossed her sixth career shutout while winning her fifth consecutive start in the opener, scattering four hits while recording five strikeouts. The senior added 2.0 scoreless innings of relief work in Sunday's second game to extend her scoreless innings streak to 12.0 heading into the postseason.

 

With the Vikings knowing they would be facing Saint Martin's again on Thursday in the opening game of the GNAC Championships, the team opted to give a few fresh arms a look in the circle with sophomore Hanako Hirai and junior Carissa McDowell pitching the first 5.0 innings in the 8-3 loss.

 

In the two games combined Sunday, junior Kinzey Williams led the offense going 4-for-6 including her first career three-hit game in the nightcap. Senior first baseman Dakota Brooks went 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles and junior catcher Rachel Christensen provided the big hit in the opening game with a two-run triple.

 

The Vikings (29-22, 15-9 GNAC) finished 3rd in the GNAC with a 15-9 conference record and will be the No. 3 seed in the GNAC Championships. WWU opens the GNAC Tournament Thursday facing No. 2 seed Saint Martin's at noon in Lacey. Northwest Nazarene is the No. 1 seed and Central Washington is the No. 4 seed. All games will be streamed live online via GNAC.tv.

 

 

WWU starting pitcher Kira Doan made it a Senior Day to remember winning her fifth consecutive start with her sixth career shutout.

 

Doan and SMU starter Tia Ridings were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first four innings before the Vikings broke out for a three-run fifth inning. Kinzey Williams led off the 5th inning with a pinch-hit infield single and moved into scoring position on a bunt single by Lauren Lo. With one out, junior catcher Rachel Christensen tripled down the right field line to stake the Vikings to the 2-0 lead. Christensen came into score the third run of the inning on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Chloe Leverington.

 

WWU added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th inning on a run-scoring triple down the left field line by Williams to score Chantelle Shimabukuro.

 

Doan worked around a one-out walk in the top of the 7th inning to earn the win improving to 13-7 on the season.

 

 

 

WWU got off to a quick start in the second game scoring three runs in the opening inning, but could not hold on to the lead falling 8-3 to conclude the regular season.

 

Already knowing they would play Saint Martin's in the opening game of the GNAC Championships, the Vikings used a "staff" day for pitching assignments in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader.

 

Sophomore Hanako Hirai got the starting assignment and took the loss allowing four hits and four runs in 3.0 innings. Junior Carissa McDowell made her season debut and first WWU pitching appearance giving up three hits, four runs and two walks in 2.0 innings. Doan completed the game with 2.0 scoreless innings allowing one hit with three strikeouts.

 

The Vikings quick start included run-scoring singles by Chantelle Shimabukuro and Rylie Wales, but would be the only time the Vikings would cross the plate against Saints starter Abby Runyon. 

 

Saint Martin's pulled even in the top of the 2nd inning on a three-run home run by shortstop Destiny Conerly and pulled ahead with single runs in the 3rd and 4th innings, and a three-un 5th inning.

 

WWU senior first baseman Dakota Brooks went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, giving her 16 on the season to tie for 2nd-most in program single-season history. Kinzey Williams added her second multi-hit game of the day going 2-for-4 and freshman right fielder Kanilehua Pitoy was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

 

Conerly led SMU's offense driving in four runs and Kylee Vanderbout was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Runyon scattered 11 hits in the complete-game victory to improve to 8-7 on the season.

 

 

Here is an updated look at the final GNAC standings following play on Sunday with the Vikings finishing in third place behind Saint Martin's and Northwest Nazarene. SMU, NNU, WWU and Central Washington form the four-team GNAC Championships Tournament that will be held May 5-7 in Lacey, Washington.

 

 

Here is a look at the GNAC Championships schedule with the four-team tournament being held May 5-7 (Thursday-Saturday) at SMU Softball Field in Lacey. More information on the tournament, with links to purchase tickets and watch games live online, is available at GNACSports.com:

 

Thursday, May 5:

Game 1: #3 Western Washington vs. #2 Saint Martin's, 12 pm

Game 2: #4 Central Washington vs. #1 Northwest Nazarene, 2:30 pm

 

Friday, May 6:

Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 10:00 am

Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:30 pm (losing team eliminated)

Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 3:00 pm (losing team eliminated)

 

Saturday, May 7:

Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 12 pm

Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (If Necessary), 2 pm

 

With six doubles in the series, the Vikings have set the program single-season record with 85 doubles. The old record was 78 set in 2017. Dakota Brooks has recorded a team-best 16 doubles, tied for 2nd-most in the 30-year program history. 

 

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).