BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team completed a four-game sweep over Central Washington University with a pair of wins Saturday at Viking Field.

 

The Vikings defeated the Wildcats 5-3 in the opening game behind a complete-game victory by freshman pitcher Alanna Wirtala and run-ruled CWU 13-5 in the nightcap in five innings to cap the opening weekend of GNAC play with four wins.

 

WWU put pressure on Central all series on the basepaths, going 21-for-22 stealing bases, including 8-for-9 in Saturday's doubleheader and a GNAC single-game record 11 steals in the opening game on Friday. Freshman right fielder Payton Chacon was perfect 9-for-9 swiping bases in the series.

 

The Vikings improved to 18-11 overall with their 10th win in the last 13 games and opened the 24-game conference slate with a 4-0 record. CWU dropped to 7-23 overall and 1-7 in GNAC games.

 

In addition to the strong performance at the plate out-scoring the Wildcats 32-12 in the series, the Vikings defense did not make an error in the four games over 94 total chances.

 

In Saturday's doubleheader sweep sophomore second baseman Haylee Kim led the Vikings at the plate going 5-for-7 and senior shortstop Hailey Rath was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored, drew five walks and was hit by a pitch. Wirtala earned a win and a save combining to allow five hits and three runs with nine strikeouts over 8.1 innings. In the series Wirtala went 3-0 with a save and 2.39 ERA (5 ER, 14.2 IP). Junior All-American third baseman Maleah Andrews recorded a hit in each game to extend her hitting streak to 15 consecutive games and her on-base streak to 21 straight. Rath has reached base safely in each of her last 25 games.

 

Game 1 – WWU 5, CWU 3:

In the opening game Saturday, the Vikings trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 4th inning.

 

WWU scored four runs in the in the 4th inning to take a 4-1 lead, fueled by a run-scoring single by Emily McCutcheon, RBI double by Olivia Matlock, an infield single by Nazli Chavez to plate a run and a run-scoring groundout by Maleah Andrews. 

 

CWU climbed to within one run on a two-run home run by Izzy Vargas in the top of the 5th inning.

 

Sophomore catcher EmmaJoy Wise added an important insurance run in the bottom of the 6th inning with a sacrifice fly to left field and Wirtala closed out her complete-game victory striking out the side in the top of the 7th inning.

 

Western Washington 5, Central Washington 3 (Game 1)

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Central Washington..... 100 020 0 -  3  4  1      (7-22, 1-6 GNAC)

Western Washington..... 000 401 X -  5  9  0      (17-11, 3-0 GNAC)

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CWU: Baker, Flohr (4), Gilbert (6) and Brown

WWU: Wirtala and Wise

Win-Wirtala (14-7)  Loss-Baker (1-3)  T-1:50

HR CWU - Vargas (2)

 

Game 2 – WWU 13, CWU 5:

WWU completed the sweep over the Wildcats with a 13-5 victory in 5 innings, with the 8-run rule coming into play in walk-off fashion.

 

The Vikings scored at least one run in each of their five at-bats, jumping out to an 8-0 lead through the first three innings. EmmaJoy Wise hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to highlight the early offensive fireworks. 

 

CWU closed the deficit to three runs with a five-run top of the 4th inning, chasing starter Evalyn Massena from the game. Wirtala entered in a save situation and closed out the win with 1.1 scoreless innings.

 

Hailey Rath ended the game with a double to left field scoring the Vikings 13th run as part of the four-run bottom of the 5th inning to put the Vikings up by eight to bring the mercy rule into effect.

 

Freshman right fielder Nazli Chavez tied the program single-game record with four stolen bases.

 

Western Washington 13, Central Washington 5 (Game 2)

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Central Washington..... 000 50 -  5  5  3      (7-23, 1-7 GNAC)

Western Washington..... 341 14 - 13 14  0      (18-11, 4-0 GNAC)

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CWU: Theophilus, Anderson (3), Gilbert (4), Flohr (5) and Brown, Thomas

WWU: Massena, Ferguson (4), Wirtala (4) and Wise

Win-Massena (3-1)  Save-Wirtala (2)  Loss-Theophilus (4-7)  T-2:11  A-116

HR WWU - Wise (5)

 

The Vikings (18-11, 4-0 GNAC) remain at home next weekend closing out a season-high 12-game homestand hosting Northwest Nazarene in a four-game GNAC series Friday and Saturday at Viking Field, with doubleheaders starting each day at noon. Admission is free for all fans and parking is available at no cost in the 12G angled parking (Friday) and 12 G/C Lots on Saturday. 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:

 

 

The WWU softball is in 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 117-36 (.765).