HONOLULU, HI – The Western Washington University softball team recorded a doubleheader split for the third consecutive day to completes its six-game Hawai'i road trip.

 

The Vikings dropped the first game of the doubleheader against Chaminade 6-5 on Monday, but rebounded for a 4-2 victory in nine innings in the nightcap. Both games were played at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park.

 

WWU recorded a 1.87 combined ERA in the two games, allowing just four earned runs in 15.0 innings in the circle. Junior Hanako Hirai recorded the win in the nightcap with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, including two innings inheriting a runner on second base to begin the 8th and 9th innings.

 

Junior catcher Emily Paulson combined to go 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI in the two games, while outfielder McKenna Crum went 3-for-7 with the game-winning RBI in the second game. Leadoff hitter Kinzey Williams also had three hits combined in the two games out of the leadoff spot in the lineup and Hailey Rath hit her first career triple.

 

In addition to Hirai's heroic efforts out of the bullpen, freshman Alexis Slater pitched 6.0 solid innings in the second game while recording a no-decision, and was the tough-luck losing pitcher in the opening game. 

 

WWU combined to out-hit Chaminade 20-11 in the doubleheader.

 

The Vikings (7-6) are scheduled to make their home debut at Viking Field this weekend with four non-conference games hosting Northwest Nazarene with doubleheaders beginning at 11 am Friday and Saturday.

 

 

The Vikings out-hit Chaminade 10-7, but a season-high three errors proved costly in a 6-5 loss to open Monday's doubleheader.

 

The Vikings got off to a great start sending nine batters to the plate, scoring three runs on five hits in their first at-bat. Kanilehua Pitoy, Broke Fesenbek and Emily Paulson all recorded run-scoring singles.

 

Chaminade got a run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning on a two-out RBI double by Kailah Gates-Coyaso and forged ahead with three unearned runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning to take a 4-3 lead. A pair of runs came across to score on a throwing error by WWU shortstop Hailey Rath that would have gotten the Vikings out of the inning still leading 3-1.

 

The Vikings tied the game back up in the top of the 6th inning on a run-scoring triple to the right field gap by Paulson and a single up the middle by McKenna Crum. Looking to add the go-ahead runs, Kinzey Williams lined into an inning ending double play.

 

Chaminade scored the eventual go-ahead run in the bottom of the 6th inning with Taryn Fujioka leading off the inning with a triple to the right field gap off relief pitcher Alexis Slater. Haley Hayakawa plated the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to shallow center field.

 

CUH starter Taylor Genera (2-0) calmed down after allowing five hits in the first inning to log the complete-game victory.

 

Slater (0-2) took the loss allowing one run in her only inning of work. Starter Mareena Ramirez scattered six hits and allowed five runs in 5.0 innings, with only one earned run. The right-hander struck out six and walked four.

 

 

 

The Vikings closed out the trip to Hawai'i with a 4-2 victory over Chaminade in extra innings.

 

WWU led 2-0 through the top of the 6th inning, but Chaminade rallied for a pair of two-out runs to tie the game 2-2.

 

The Vikings got runs on a two-out triple by Hailey Rath in the top of the 3rd inning and added an insurance run in the 6th inning when Emily Paulson reached on an error.

 

CUH plated both of its runs on a two-out, two-run single up the middle by first baseman Kobe Brown.

 

Western pushed across the winning run in the top of the 9th inning on a single to left field by right fielder McKenna Crum and Kinzey Williams added an insurance run with a single up the middle.

 

Junior left-hander Hanko Hirai was nearly spotless in her 3.0 innings of relief work, recording the first win of her collegiate career. Hirai did not allow a hit and walked only one batter to keep Chaminade off the scoreboard. Freshman Alexis Slater scattered four hits and allowed just the two-out runs in the 6th inning to record a no-decision. 

 

Nine different Vikings combined for the 10 hits in the game, led by a 2-for-4 performance at the plate by Rath.

 

 

The Vikings (7-6) return to Bellingham for a pair of scheduled 11 am doubleheaders vs. Northwest Nazarene Friday and Saturday (Feb. 24-25) at Viking Field. Fans can follow the action with direct links to the webcast and live stats at wwuvikings.com/SB_23.

 

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 31st season in 2023. 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 19 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 nine-season span from 2014-2022, the Vikings have combined to go 224-172 and won a pair of GNAC Tournament titles (2017 & 2021).