LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. – The Western Washington University softball team closed out its 11-game season-opening road trip to Southern California with a narrow 7-5 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills Sunday afternoon during the final day of the D2 West Coast Challenge.
The Vikings trailed 7-2 heading into their final at-bat, but senior shortstop Hailey Rath hit a three-run home run to cut the deficit to two runs. The Toros closed the door on the victory getting the final two outs of the game for the 7-5 victory.
WWU finished the D2 West Coast challenge with a 1-4 record and completed the grueling 11-game road trip with a 5-6 record. The Vikings are next in action February 21 hosting Simon Fraser in a non-conference doubleheader for the 2026 home opener.
Rath (1-for-3, R, 3 RBI) and junior third baseman Maleah Andrews (1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) led the Vikings six-hit attack against the Toros. Andrews went deep for the third time in 2026 for her 14th career longball in the top of the fifth inning to open the scoring for the Vikings.
The Toros (7-5) were led by a 3-for-4 performance at the plate by designated player Tori Au and three RBI from Saint Martin's transfer Ashley Goodale.
Rath's home run was the 26th of her career, pulling her to within one longball of second place in program history behind the 27 hit by Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez (2024-25). Rath has recorded 212 hits in 184 career games to rank second in program history, trailing all-time leader Kanilehua Pitoy's 218 hits by six. Rath is also five RBI short of the all-time WWU record of 156 set by Emily Benson (2015-17, 19).
Cal St. Dom. Hills 7, Western Washington 5 (Feb 08, 2026 at Lake Elsinore, CA)
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Western Washington..... 000 020 3 - 5 6 4 (5-6)
Cal St. Dom. Hills..... 040 012 X - 7 8 0 (7-5)
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Western Washington - Wirtala and Chavez
Cal St. Dom. Hills - Juarez; Ogata (5) and Dolores
Win-Juarez (2-2) Loss-Wirtala (4-3) T-1:55 A-32
HR WWU - Andrews (3); Rath (4) HR CSUDH - Au
The Vikings (5-6) are off next week and return to the field Saturday, February 21 hosting Simon Fraser University in a "non-conference" doubleheader at either Viking Field or Sehome High School (depending on weather), with first pitch scheduled for 11 am. More information on the 2026 season can be found at WWUVikings.com/Team34.
Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2026 season:
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RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall
|
5-6
|
|
GNAC
|
0-0
|
|
Non-Conference
|
5-6
|
|
Streak
|
L2
|
|
Home
|
0-0
|
|
Away
|
0-1
|
|
Neutral
|
5-5
|
|
vs. Ranked Teams
|
0-1
|
|
1-Run Games
|
1-1
|
|
2-Run Games
|
1-1
|
|
Extra Innings
|
1-0
|
|
Shutouts
|
1-0
|
|
BY UNIFORM
|
|
Light Blue Pinstripes
|
0-4
|
|
Navy/White
|
2-1
|
|
Black
|
2-1
|
|
Gray
|
0-0
|
|
White/Navy
|
1-0
|
|
Gray/Blue
|
0-0
|
The WWU softball program enters its 34th season in 2026 while coming off a historic 47-13 season in 2025. The Vikings claimed their fourth GNAC title by winning the 2025 postseason tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the seventh time in program history. Playing in the NCAA postseason for the seventh time, WWU won its second consecutive West Regional title defeating Cal State East Bay in the sub-regional and Cal State San Marcos in the Super Regional. The historic season ended playing in the D2 World Series in Chattanooga, Tennessee, reaching the semifinal round (Final Four). WWU has posted a winning record 22 times during the 33-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. Over the last three seasons the program has combined to go 104-31 (.770).
