BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team opened the postseason with a 4-1 victory over Saint Martin's University Thursday in the opening game of the GNAC Softball Championships at Viking Field.

 

The No. 2 seed Vikings reached the 40-win mark on the season improving to 40-7 on the season with the home-field victory over the Saints. No. 1 Northwest Nazarene defeated No. 4 Central Washington 1-0 in a pitching duel won GNAC Pitcher of the Year Sidney Booth. No. 14 nationally-ranked WWU and No. 13 NNU advance to the semifinal round in the winners bracket and will play at 10 am Friday at Viking Field. CWU and SMU will play an elimination game at 12:30 pm.

 

The Vikings recipe to success all season long has been pitching and defense, and the team received plenty of both in Thursday's win to improve to 7-0 vs. Saint Martin's this season.

 

Freshman starting pitcher Alli Kimball set the tone in the circle with 4.0 scoreless innings (3 H, 3 SO, BB) to improve to 16-2 on the season and freshman relief pitcher Kaiana Kong closed the door allowing one run and three hits in 3.0 innings to earn her sixth save.

 

WWU scored three runs in the first two innings to jump out to the early lead, including a pair of first-inning runs. Freshman third baseman Maleah Andrews hit a leadoff triple and scored on a double by left fielder Lexi Barcomb that caromed off the left fielder's glove to put the Vikings up 1-0. Junior catcher Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez followed with a single down the left field line to put the Vikings up 2-0.

 

The Vikings extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the 2nd inning on fielder's choice groundout by Barcomb. With Kimball in control, Western added another run in the 4th inning on a two-out double down the left field by Andrews to score Taylor Khorrami from second base.

 

Kong allowed a single tally in the top of the 7th inning on a two-out single by Heather Ebner, but got the final out on a fielder's choice to seal the victory. 

 

Andrews finished 2-for-3 with a double and triple and Barcomb went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Khorrami went 2-for-2 with a walk and run scored reaching base safely in all three of her plate appearances.

 

Ebner was 2-for-4 with one RBI and right fielder Shelby Lawson was 2-for-3.
 

 

The Vikings (40-7) continue play in the GNAC Championships Friday morning with a 10 am game in the winner's bracket of the four-team postseason tournament held at Viking Field in Bellingham. The No. 2 seed Vikings will take on No. 1 Northwest Nazarene in a battle of two top-15 nationally-ranked teams. The complete 2024 WWU Softball schedule can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com.

 

Here is an updated look at the schedule and results from the 2024 GNAC Championships. Three games are scheduled for Friday at Viking Field in Bellingham. More info on the GNAC Championships can be found online at GNACSports.com. 

The four-team, double-elimination tournament is being played at Viking Field in Bellingham. Here is a look at the tournament schedule with all games streamed live online at GNAC.tv. The winner of the double-elimination tournament will receive the GNAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships West Regional.

 

 

Thursday, May 2

Game 1: No. 2 Western Washington 4, No. 3 Saint Martin's 1

Game 2: No. 1 Northwest Nazarene 1, No. 4 Central Washington 0

 

Friday, May 3

Game 3: 10:00 am – No. 2 Western Washington vs. No. 1 Northwest Nazarene

Game 4: 12:30 pm – No. 3 Saint Martin's vs. No. 4 Central Washington (elimination game)

Game 5:  3:00 pm – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 (elimination game)

 

Saturday, May 4

Game 6: 12:00 pm – Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5

Game 7: 2:30 pm – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)

WWU has advanced to play in seven of the 11 GNAC Championship tournaments, winning titles 2017 and 2021. The Vikings are 11-8 all-time in GNAC Championships play following Thursday's win over Saint Martin's.
 

 

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

 

 

WWU has set the program record for wins in a season with 40 (and counting), passing the 36 wins achieved by the 2011 squad (36-16/.692). This is the 10th 30-victory season in program history.