BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Playing in its first NCAA Super Regional in program history, the Western Washington University softball team battled back from a 3-1 deficit to open the best-of-three series vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills with a 4-3 victory Tuesday afternoon at Viking Field.

 

Junior catcher Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez worked a full count and fouled off a pair of pitches before drawing a bases loaded walk to send the Vikings to the 4-3 walk-off victory, moving one win away from advancing to the NCAA Division II Softball National Championships.

 

The Vikings continued their historic season improving to 47-8 overall and 8-1 in postseason play with their 14th one-run victory of the season.

 

Western got off to a big start when freshman third baseman led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a solo home run to left-center field for her sixth longball of the season.

 

Leading 1-0, the Toros forged ahead with one big swing of the bat in the top of the 3rd inning by first baseman Kaylee Hull. Jay Ross reached in a single that struck WWU starting pitcher Alli Kimball. The next batter reached on a throwing error by Kimball when attempting to get the lead runner. Hull then clubbed a 1-0 pitch deep over the fence in left-center field to put CSUDH ahead 3-1.

 

Senior first baseman Ashley Jacobson cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the 4th inning for her eighth homer of the season. 

 

WWU then tied it in the bottom of the 6th inning on a one-out single to left field by senior designated player Emily Paulson. Andrewjeski-Ramirez led off the inning with a double to center field and pinch-runner Laila Carpenter raced home on the single by Paulson on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to tie the game 3-3.

 

The Toros looked poised to take the lead in the top of the 7th inning putting runners on first and third with one out, but freshman All-Region pitcher Kaiana Kong wiggled out of the jam on a groundout to third base and a strikeout to keep the game tied 3-3. The strikeout by Kong against designated player Alani Nguyen was the only time a Toro batter struck out during the game.

 

The Vikings then staged their own rally loading the bases on a leadoff single by junior right fielder McKenna Crum and the team-leading 34th walk of the season by Andrews. Junior second baseman Kanilehua Pitoy moved both runners into scoring position with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt and sophomore shortstop Hailey Rath was intentionally walked to load the bases.

 

Andrewjeski-Ramirez was patient at the plate during the nine-pitch at-bat against CSUDH ace Mariah Ramirez to push home the game-winning run with the bases loaded walk.

 

Kong improved to 14-1 – to go with her NCAA II leading 10 saves – with the scoreless top of the 7th inning. Junior Joie Baker held the Toros scoreless through the middle innings in relief of Kimball, working 3.2 innings allowing just three hits.

 

Paulson went 2-for-3 with a double and Andrews and Pitoy each had a pair of hits as the Vikings reached double-digits in hits in a game for the 15th time this season.

 

All-West Region pitcher Mariah Ramirez took the loss for Cal State Dominguez Hills allowing 10 hits and four runs in the complete-game effort. Hull was 2-for-4 with the three-run home run to lead the Toros at the plate, with shortstop Mireya Rico and second baseman Alexis Aguado both going 2-for-3.

 

The Vikings (47-8) host Cal State Dominguez Hills in the second game of the best-of-three Super Regional series Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for noon at Viking Field. A Game 3 (if necessary) is scheduled for approximately 2:30 pm following the conclusion of the first game. WWU is one win away from advancing the next round with a trip on the line to the NCAA Division II Softball National Championships in Longwood, Florida. 

 

Here is a look at the West Super Regional Schedule with the best-of-three series played at Viking Field on the campus of Western Washington University in Bellingham. WWU leads the series 1-0 following the 4-3 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Tuesday:

 

Game 1: No. 1 Western Washington 4, No. 6 Cal State Dominguez Hills 3

Game 2: No. 1 Western Washington vs. No. 6 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 12 pm

Game 3: No. 1 Western Washington vs. No. 6 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2:30 pm (if necessary)

 

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2024 season:

 

 

Here are links on how to follow the 64-team field in the 2024 NCAA Division II Softball Championships:

 

• Super Regional Website
• NCAA Tournament Scoreboard
• NCAA Bracket
• Digital Gameday Program
• NCAA Softball

 

WWU is making its sixth all-time appearance in the NCAA Division II Softball Championships and first since 2021. The Vikings are 6-11 all-time in the NCAA Championships, going 3-1 so far during the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Here is a look at the Vikings game-by-game listing in the NCAA Championships. Prior to moving to the NCAA level in 1999, WWU won the NAIA World Series for the first team title in WWU Athletics history:

 

2003 (Bakersfield, CA):

Lost to UC Davis, 4-2

Lost to Humboldt State, 7-1

 

2007 (Turlock, CA):

Lost to Stanislaus State, 2-0

Lost to Sonoma State, 3-1

 

2011 (Chico, CA):

Lost to Chico State, 3-1

Lost to Central Washington, 8-4

 

2017 (Seaside, CA):

Defeated Cal State Monterey Bay, 5-3

Lost to Dixie State, 5-0

Lost to Sonoma State, 6-4

 

2021 (Irvine, CA):

Lost to Hawai'i Hilo, 3-0

Lost to Central Washington, 9-5

 

2024 (Bellingham, WA):

Defeated Azusa Pacific, 1-0

Lost to Cal State San Marcos, 4-3

Defeated Azusa Pacific, 3-0

Defeated Cal State San Marcos, 7-1

Defeated Cal State San Marcos, 2-1

Defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills, 4-3 (Super Regional)

 

WWU has set the program record for wins in a season with 47 (and counting), passing the 36 wins achieved by the 2011 squad (36-16/.692). This is the 10th 30-victory season in program history.