BURNABY, B.C. – The Western Washington University softball team opened its key GNAC series at Simon Fraser in grand fashion, sweeping Friday's doubleheader at Beedie Field 4-3 and 7-4.

 

The Vikings opened the doubleheader with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory scoring three runs in the top of the 6th inning and closed out the sweep with pitcher Evalyn Massena (W) and Alanna Wirtala (S) combining for a solid performance. WWU improved to 24-15 overall and moved into 2nd place in the GNAC standings at 10-4.

 

Sophomore designated player Emily McCutcheon led the Vikings at the plate going 5-for-8, senior shortstop Hailey Rath hit her GNAC-leading 12th home run, sophomore catcher EmmaJoy Wise hit a three-run double and solo home run and sophomore second baseman Haylee Kim had a clutch game-tying double in the opener.

 

The Vikings and Red Leafs wrap up the four-game conference series Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to start at noon at Beedie Field. The game will stream live on the GNAC Network.

 

Game 1 – WWU 4, SFU 3:

The Vikings scored three runs in the top of the 6th inning, highlighted by a game-tying RBI double from Haylee Kim, to defeat Simon Fraser 4-3 in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader.

 

WWU led 1-0 following a solo home run by Olivia Matlock to lead off the top of the 2nd inning.

 

Vikings starting pitcher Alanna Wirtala retired the first eight batters she faced before the Red Leafs rallied to get on the scoreboard. After a diving catch by center fielder Laila Carpenter, Rae Bates singled to center field with two outs in the bottom of the 3rd inning and moved into scoring position on a throwing error. WWU looked to get out of the inning on a groundout, but the play was overturned ruling the first baseman was not on the bag. Cassidy Affeldt then drilled a three-run home run to center field to give SFU the 3-1 lead.

 

Western rallied in the top of the 6th inning to pull ahead. Catcher EmmaJoy Wise led off with a no-doubt home run to left field and Kim delivered a sharp double to left field to plate the tying run. Leadoff hitter Payton Chacon laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line that SFU pitcher Monica Bourque threw into right field allowing the go-ahead run to score. 

 

Wirtala worked around a pair of hits to lead off the bottom of the 7th inning, getting a groundout and a pair of popouts to preserve the win earning her 19th win of the season. Wirtala (19-9) scattered five hits and did not allow an earned run in the complete-game effort to improve to 19-9 on the season. She was efficient throwing 69 pitches with 54 strikes.

 

Designated player Emily McCutcheon went 3-for-4 to lead the Vikings nine-hit attack, with Maleah Andrews (2-for-3, BB) and Olivia Matlock (2-for-4) also contributing multi-hit games.

 

Western Washington 4, Simon Fraser 3 (Game 1)

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Western Washington..... 010 003 0 -  4  9  2      (23-15, 9-4 GNAC)

Simon Fraser........... 003 000 0 -  3  5  1      (14-25, 12-5 GNAC)

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WWU: Wirtala and Wise,EmmaJoy

SFU: Bourque and Sugrive

Win-Wirtala (19-9)  Loss-Bourque (10-12)  T-1:46

HR WWU - Wise (8); Matlock (2)

HR SFU - Affeldt (7)

 

Game 2 – WWU 7, SFU 4:

The Vikings fell behind 1-0 in the 1st inning, but answered with four runs in the top of the 2nd inning with sophomore catcher (and leadoff hitter) EmmaJoy Wise highlighting the inning with a three-run double.

 

SFU got two runs back in the bottom of the 4th inning to cut the deficit to one run at 4-3.

 

Senior shortstop Hailey Rath drilled a solo home run in the 5th inning and WWU added two more runs in the 6th inning to add some insurance.

 

Sophomore starting pitcher Evalyn Massina earned the win allowing five hits and three runs (2 ER) in 4.0 innings and freshman Alanna Wirtala recorded her third save allowing one run in 3.0 innings.

 

Rath (2-for-3, HR, RBI, BB), Emily McCutcheon (2-for-4) and freshman right fielder Payton Chacon (2-for-2, R, RBI) all recorded multi-hit games.

 

Western Washington 7, Simon Fraser 4 (Game 2)

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Western Washington..... 040 012 0 -  7 11  3      (24-15, 10-4 GNAC)

Simon Fraser........... 100 201 0 -  4  9  2      (14-26, 12-6 GNAC)

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WWU: Massena, Wirtala (5) and Wise, Pewitt

SFU: Franklin,Rust (5) and Sugrive

Win-Massena (4-3)  Save-Wirtala (3)  Loss-Franklin (2-6)  T-1:59  A-73

HR WWU - Rath (12)

HR SFU - Sugrive (5), Houts (1)

 

The Vikings (24-15, 10-4 GNAC) completes the four-game series Saturday against Simon Fraser, with a doubleheader scheduled to start at noon at Beedie Field. WWU returns home next weekend for the final regular-season games at Viking Field hosting Saint Martin's to a four-game series Saturday and Sunday in Bellingham. 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:

 

 

Here is a look at the current GNAC standings through Friday's games in conference play, with the Vikings past the midway point in the 24-game conference slate. The top four teams in the standings at the end of the regular season advance to play in the GNAC Championships held May 7-9 in Ellensburg.

 

 

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 123-40 (.755).