BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team split its Friday doubleheader against Northwest Nazarene University at Viking Field, dropping the opener 4-3 and winning the nightcap 9-4.
The GNAC split moved the Vikings to 19-12 overall and 5-1 in conference play. NNU falls to 24-13 overall and 4-6 in league contests.
Sophomore catcher EmmaJoy Wise highlighted the Vikings hitting performance going 4-for-7 with four RBI, combining to hit for the cycle in the doubleheader. She hit a solo home run in the first game and recorded a single, double and triple in the second game victory.
Freshman pitcher Alanna Wirtala recorded a decision in each game, winning the second game in relief allowing one run over 3.2 innings.
The Vikings and Nighthawks conclude their four-game GNAC series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon at Viking Field in Bellingham.
Game 1 – NNU 4, WWU 3:
The Nighthawks narrowly defeated the Vikings 4-3 in the opening game of the doubleheader, plating the go-ahead runs on a two-run, two-out double by center fielder Ava Clark in the top of the 6th inning.
The Vikings closed the gap to one run in the bottom of the 6th, but stranded the tying run on third base.
Western originally took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on a double by Hailey Rath. With the score tied 1-1, catcher EmmaJoy Wise hit her sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the 4th inning.
WWU starting pitcher Alanna Wirtala took the loss allowing 12 hits and four runs in the complete-game effort.
Rath went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles to extend her streak of reaching base safely to 26 consecutive games.
Clark went 3-for-4 falling a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Starting pitcher Miah Lusk earned the win to improve to 12-4 (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 K) and Victoria Frias earned her first save with 2.0 scoreless innings.
Northwest Nazarene 4, Western Washington 3 (Game 1)
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Northwest Nazarene..... 001 012 0 - 4 12 2 (24-12, 4-5 GNAC)
Western Washington..... 100 101 0 - 3 5 1 (18-12, 4-1 GNAC)
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NNU: Lusk, Frias (6) and Crosby
WWU: Wirtala and Wise
Win-Lusk (12-4) Save-Frias (1) Loss-Wirtala (14-8) T-2:10
HR WWU - Wise (6)
Game 2 – WWU 9, NNU 4:
The Vikings won the second game 9-4 to seal the doubleheader split against the Nighthawks.
NNU took the early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the 1st inning, but the Vikings gone one back in the bottom half of the inning when Maleah Andrews and Payton Chacon pulled off a double steal to cut the deficit to 2-1.
WWU plated two runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning on an RBI single by Hailey Rath and a run-scoring triple by EmmaJoy Wise to put the Vikings ahead 3-2. The Nighthawks tied the game 3-3 on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch, but relief pitcher Alanna Wirtala got out of the inherited jam recording a strikeout.
The Vikings scored three runs in the bottom of the 4th and added three more in the 6th inning to pull away with the 9-4 victory.
Wise finished 3-for-4 falling a home run short of the cycle and Maleah Andrews went 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored to lead the Vikings 11-hit attack.
Wirtala (15-8) recorded the victory out of the bullpen scattering four hits and one run in 3.2 innings, with five strikeouts.
Western Washington 9, Northwest Nazarene 4 (Game 2)
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Northwest Nazarene..... 200 101 0 - 4 6 5 (24-13, 4-6 GNAC)
Western Washington..... 102 303 X - 9 11 1 (19-12, 5-1 GNAC)
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NNU: McGee, Frias (4); Traylor (6); Harris (6)and Crosby
WWU: Massena, Ferguson (2); Wirtala (4) and Wise
Win-Wirtala (15-8) Loss-McGee (5-2) T-2:35 A-102
The Vikings (19-12, 5-1 GNAC) close out the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon, finishing a 12-game homestand. WWU is back on the road next week traveling to play at Montana State Billings Friday and Saturday for a four-game conference series. Admission is free for all fans and parking is available at no cost in the 12G angled parking and C Lots. 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
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Overall
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19-12
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GNAC
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5-1
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Non-Conference
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14-11
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Streak
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W1
|
|
Home
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8-4
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Away
|
3-1
|
|
Neutral
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8-7
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|
vs. Ranked Teams
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1-2
|
|
1-Run Games
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4-3
|
|
2-Run Games
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3-2
|
|
Extra Innings
|
1-0
|
|
Shutouts
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2-1
|
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BY UNIFORM
|
|
Light Blue Pinstripes
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2-4
|
|
Navy/White
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6-2
|
|
Black
|
6-3
|
|
Gray
|
3-1
|
|
White/Navy
|
2-2
|
|
Gray/Blue
|
0-0
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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 118-37 (.761).
