TURLOCK, Calif. – The Western Washington University softball team had its season-high three-game win streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to San Francisco State University Saturday afternoon at the Pedretti Sports Complex.
Playing without three starters due to injury or sickness, the Vikings dropped to 16-15 overall and 2-1 at the Tournament of Champions. WWU opened TOC play Friday with a 14-0 victory over Academy of Art in five innings and stunned No. 13 Sonoma State 4-3 in extra innings.
WWU out-hit SFSU 7-3 in the game, but couldn't overcome a four-run inning by the Gators in the bottom of the 3rd inning. The Vikings looked to pull even in the top of the 4th inning loading the bases with no outs, but a double play halted the inning with two runs scored.
The Gators scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning with a two-out, two-run home run by designated player Phoebe Schultz proving to be the difference in the two-run game.
WWU sophomore starter Joie Baker was dealt her first loss of the season to drop to 2-1, scattering just three hits in the complete-game (6.0 IP) effort. Baker issued five walks and struck out four in her fourth start of the season.
WWU junior catcher Emily Paulson led the Vikings at the plate going 3-for-3 with one RBI and freshman shortstop Hailey Rath went 1-for-3 with her team-leading 10th double of the season.
SFSU starter Kaitlyn Maddux improved to 7-5 with the complete-game victory allowing seven hits and two runs in 7.0 innings.
The Vikings (16-15, 6-6 GNAC) continue play at the 20th Annual Tournament of Champions, presented by the City of Turlock later this afternoon facing Cal State East Bay at 4:30 pm at Warrior Field on the campus of Stanislaus State University. The Vikings close out tournament play Sunday facing Cal State San Bernardino at 10 am at Pedretti Sports Complex (Field #5).
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SFSU 4, WWU 2 (April 1, 2023 at Turlock, CA)
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Score by Innings
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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R
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H
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E
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LOB
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Record
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Western Washington
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0
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0
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0
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2
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0
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0
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0
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-
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2
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7
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1
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7
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16-15
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San Francisco State
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0
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0
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4
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0
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0
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0
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x
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-
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4
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3
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1
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6
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14-14
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WWU – Baker and Paulson
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SFSU – Maddux and Gonzalez
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Win: Maddux (7-5) Save: None Loss: Baker (2-1)
WWU HR: None SFSU HR: Schultz
Time of Game: 1:50 Att: 77
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Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2023 season:
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RECORD BREAKDOWN
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Overall
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16-15
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GNAC
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6-6
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Non-Conference
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10-9
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Streak
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L1
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Home
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6-3
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Viking Field
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5-3
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Away
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4-9
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Neutral
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6-3
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vs. Ranked Teams
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1-2
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1-Run Games
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7-5
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2-Run Games
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2-3
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Extra Innings
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3-2
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Shutouts
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4-5
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BY UNIFORM
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Black
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7-2
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Blue/White
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3-4
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Navy
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3-3
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Gray
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2-5
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Blue/Navy
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1-1
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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).
