BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep against Simon Fraser University Thursday at Viking Field.

The Vikings opened the conference doubleheader with a 4-3 walk-off victory in the opening game and completed the sweep with a 6-3 win in the nightcap. WWU improved to 10-8 on the season while getting off to a 2-0 start to the conference schedule. SFU dropped to 5-15 overall and 0-2 in GNAC play.

WWU received a pair of pitching gems in the doubleheader, with senior Mareena Ramirez recording her seventh win of the season allowing five hits and three runs in a complete-game effort. In the nightcap, freshman Alexis Slater recorded her first collegiate win allowing six hits and three runs in the complete game victory. The Vikings pitching duo combined to allow just 11 hits and recorded 14 strikeouts.

Senior first baseman Brooke Fesenbek combined to go 4-for-7 in the doubleheader, including the game-winning RBI in the opening game on a bases loaded sacrifice fly. Freshman shortstop Hailey Rath went 4-for-8 with a double and triple and freshman Isabella Bay went 2-for-2 with three RBI in the nightcap. WWU totaled 22 hits and scored 10 runs in the doubleheader sweep. With hits in both ends of the doubleheader, Rath extended her hitting streak to six consecutive games and is batting .333 (21-for-63) with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 17 RBI in the first 18 games of her collegiate career.

The Vikings (10-8, 2-0 GNAC) are scheduled to resume their four-game GNAC series vs. Simon Fraser on Saturday with first pitch at 11 am at Viking Field. 

The Vikings got off to a quick start in the first game of the day, scoring three runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, but had to hold off a later SFU rally while recording a 4-3 walk-off victory.

The Vikings recorded four hits in the opening inning, with freshman shortstop Hailey Rath driving in a pair of runs with a two-run triple to the left field gap. Sophomore second baseman Kanilehua Pitoy staked WWU to the early 3-0 lead adding a run with a sacrifice fly. 

Senior starting pitcher Mareena Ramirez faced the minimum through the first four innings and held the GNAC's top hitting team scoreless though the first five innings. The Red Leafs touched Ramirez for three runs in the top of the 6th inning, all coming with two outs. Catcher Kristen Davyduke provided the big hit with a two-run single to right-center field.

Ramirez came back to strike out the side in the top of the 7th inning to finish with eight strikeouts, and left the rest up to the Vikings offense. Senior designated player Kinzey Williams drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the 7th inning and moved into scoring position on a perfectly-placed bunt single by junior right fielder Isabel Cargill. After a single by Rath loaded the bases and a groundout, senior first baseman Brooke Fesenbek ended the game with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Cargill.

Ramirez improved to 7-2 on the season scattering five hits and allowing three runs in 7.0 innings. Cargill (2-for-4, 2 R), Rath (2-for-4, R, 3B, 2 RBI), Fesenbek (2-for-3, RBI) and sophomore left fielder McKenna Crum (2-for-3) each finished with multi-hit games. Crum extended her hitting streak to five consecutive games.

SFU starting pitcher Reese Davies (1-4) was saddled with the loss allowing 10 hits and four runs in 6.2 innings. Designated player Janique Balcaen went 2-for-3 at the plate and center fielder Megan Duclos was 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, giving her 26 on the season.

The Vikings and Red Leafs were locked in a scoreless game through the first three innings before the Vikings exploded for five runs with two outs in the bottom of the 4th inning. WWU would go on to defeat SFU 6-3 to complete the doubleheader sweep.

With the game scoreless and two outs in the bottom of the 4th, pinch-hitter Isabella Bay delivered a two-out single to center field to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead. Isabel Cargill, Hailey Rath and Kanilehua Pitoy followed with run-scoring singles to extend the lead to 5-0.

SFU cut into the deficit scoring three runs in the top of the 5th inning, but Bay delivered another big hit with a two-out RBI double to the left field gap to grow the lead to 6-3.

Freshman pitcher Alexis Slater earned her first collegiate win allowing six hits and three runs, while striking out six, in the complete-game effort. 

Bay finished 2-for-2 with three RBI (all with two outs), Rath and Pitoy each went 2-for-4 and senior Brooke Fesenbek recorded her fourth multi-hit games.

SFU starter Shaneika Hollingworth (2-5) was dealt the loss allowing 10 hits and five runs in 3.2 innings. Reliever Julia Hansen finished the game for the Red Leafs allowing one run in 2.1 innings. Leadoff hitter Megan Duclos went 2-for-4 and stole her GNAC-leading 27th base of the season.

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).