in both games of its doubleheader split vs. Western Oregon University Sunday at Viking Field in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

 

The Vikings overcame a five-run deficit in the first game to force extras, but fell 10-2 in nine innings. WWU bounced back with another comeback effort in the nightcap, scoring single runs in the 6th and 7th innings to tie the game 2-2 and recorded a walk-off victory on an Isabel Cargill sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th inning for the 3-2 victory.

 

WWU remains at .500 for the season at 13-13 overall and 5-5 in GNAC play. The Vikings out-hit the Wolves 26-18 in the doubleheader while recording nine extra-base hits and going 10-for-27 with runners in scoring position.

 

Sophomore third baseman Amaya Davis went 4-for-6 at the plate, including a 4-for-4 performance in the first game with a GNAC and WWU single-game record tying three doubles. Senior first baseman Brooke Fesenbek was 5-for-9 with two doubles, a triple and four RBI in the two games. Her leadoff triple in the bottom of the 8th inning set up the game-winning heroics by Cargill.

 

Freshman Hailey Rath added three hits with a pair of doubles in the nightcap and Taylor Khorrami (3-for-6, 2B, RBI), Kanilehua Pitoy (3-for-8, 2 R) and Kinzey Williams (3-for-8, 2 R) all had three hits in the doubleheader.

 

Senior Mareena Ramirez pitched in relief in the second game and recorded her 10th win of the season to tie for the GNAC lead. Sophomore Joie Baker made her season debut in the circle coming back from knee surgery to allow three hits and two runs over 5.0 innings.

 

WWU (13-13, 5-5 GNAC) and Western Oregon wrap up the four-game conference series Monday with a doubleheader beginning at noon at Viking Field.

 

 

WOU opened the doubleheader with an 10-8 victory in 9 innings over the Vikings, using an eight-run 3rd inning to account for a majority of its scoring. 

 

The Vikings got off to a quick start with three runs in their first at-bat, sending eight batters to the plate to build the early lead. Amaya Davis started the scoring drawing a bases loaded walk and Brooke Fesenbek followed with a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield. Emily Paulson beat out a potential double play to reach on the RBI fielder's choice.

 

WOU responded with eight runs in the top of the 3rd inning, sending 13 batters to the plate to forge ahead after the Vikings took the early lead. First baseman Maddie Brander provided the big hit with a three-run double to right field.

 

WWU chipped away at the five-run deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning on a run-scoring double by Fesenbek and a two-out RBI single by Isabel Cargill. The Vikings pulled even with three runs in the bottom of the 4th inning on a trio of run-scoring doubles by Davis, Fesenbek and center fielder Taylor Khorrami.

 

After junior reliever Hanako Hirai escaped a jam in the top of the 8th inning, WOU pushed across the winning run in the top of the 9th. Third baseman Sydney Conklin drove in a pair of runs with a bases loaded single to right field.

 

Hirai (1-3) was dealt the loss despite pitching well allowing eight hits and three runs in 5.2 innings. Starter Mareena Ramirez was touched for four hits and seven runs (6 ER) in 3.1 innings, going 2.1 innings to open the game and re-entered to finish the contest.

 

Davis went 4-for-4 with three doubles to tie the WWU and GNAC single-game records. She reached base in all five of her plate appearances also drawing a walk. Fesenbek added a pair of doubles going 3-for-5 with three RBI. 

 

WOU reliever Erica Soliz earned her first win of the season scattering four hits in 5.1 scoreless innings.

 

 

 

The Vikings trailed 2-0 through the first five innings, but stormed back to tie the game with runs in the 6th and 7th innings, and won the game on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th inning by junior outfielder Isabel Cargill.

 

WOU went ahead 2-0 in the top of the 4th inning on a two-out, two-run single by shortstop Bella Valdes. 

 

Those were the only runs the Vikings would allow in the nightcap, with sophomore starting pitcher Joie Baker shining in her season debut while coming back from offseason knee surgery. Baker struck out five batters, walked three and allowed just the two runs in 5.0 innings. 

 

Trailing 2-0, the Vikings cut into the deficit with a two-out RBI single by senior first baseman Brooke Fesenbek in the bottom of the 6th inning. Down to their last out with no runners on base, the Vikings recorded three consecutive singles by Lexi Barcomb, Kinzey Williams and Kanilehua Pitoy to load the bases. Hailey Rath tied the game with a single to right field to force extra innings.

 

After reliever Mareena Ramirez stranded a pair of runner in the top of the 8th, the Vikings walked it off in the bottom half of the inning.

 

Fesenbek led off with a triple to the right field gap and pinch-runner Mikayla Liljenberg scored on the next play when Cargill lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate the game-winning run.

 

Rath finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and Fesenbek (2-for-4, 3B, RBI) and Williams (2-for-4, R) both added multi-hit games. Ramirez earned her 10th win of the season with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.

 

WOU starter Maddie Mayer (7-6) was saddled with the complete-game loss allowing 10 hits and three runs in 7.1 innings. Valdes (2-for-2, 2 BB, 2 RBI) and leadoff hitter Logan Carlos (2-for-4) recorded four of the Wolves six hits.

 

 

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).