Western Washington University softball is headed to its first-ever NCAA Division II West Super Regional series, to be played in Bellingham, following back-to-back wins over Cal State San Marcos in the West Regional finals on Saturday, May 11 at Viking Field.
After losing to No. 4 CSUSM (37-23) in the semifinals on Friday, May 10, top-seeded Western (46-8) needed three consecutive victories to keep its season alive — and make history.
The Vikings downed the Cougars 7-1 in the first game Saturday, and then finished the job with a 2-1 win in the second game to advance.
“To get two wins against a great team, it just speaks to these guys’ grit,” Western head coach Sheryl Gilmore said. “They were determined when they showed up, and they just kind of had the belief that it was going to happen.”
Western entered the tournament 1-10 all-time in West Regional games. It exited with a 5-11 record and its first regional crown in what has already been a storybook season for the Vikings.
“Doing it the hard way is probably what’s going to sustain us as we move forward,” Gilmore said. “These guys know what they’re capable of. I think we needed to do it the hard way. They stepped up in every big moment that we faced.”
Western will host the West Super Regional — a best-of-three series — at Viking Field against No. 6 Cal State Dominguez Hills (38-19), which won the other half of the West Regional. That series will be May 14–15, with the first game beginning at noon on Tuesday.
Game 2: Western Washington 2, Cal State San Marcos 1
Senior Emily Paulson drove in what became the game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning and Western beat CSUSM in the winner-take-all West Regional championship.
Paulson, who finished 4 for 14 at the plate in the tournament, said she knew she just had to put the ball in play with two outs on the board and a runner on third. She dropped a single perfectly down the left-field line at the perfect time.
“I always say that if you put the ball in play, good things will happen. I always believe in that,” Paulson said. “I knew [CSUSM’s pitcher] was pushing me inside. So I wanted to turn on it … right when I hit it, I heard everyone in the crowd cheering.”
Junior Kanilehua Pitoy scored, giving Western its first lead since the top of the fourth inning.
One inning later, freshman pitcher Kaiana Kong delivered the game-winning strike to send the Vikings faithful into a frenzy.
“I knew I had my defense behind me so that really made me trust that we’d get the last out,” Kong said. “That’s all I needed.”
The first three innings were scoreless, with CSUSM leaving three on base in that span.
Freshman Maleah Andrews continued to provide the spark Western needed. She hit her second double of the day in the top of the fourth inning — the Vikings’ first hit — presenting sophomore Hailey Rath a chance to drive in the game’s first run.
Rath sent a line drive to CSUSM’s second baseman, who had the ball bounce off her chest and roll further into the outfield. The sophomore shortstop reached first on the error, and Andrews made it all the way home to put Western up 1-0.
CSUSM had consecutive batters walked in the bottom of the fourth, prompting freshman Alli Kimball to relieve junior Joie Baker. The Cougars found an equalizer a few at-bats later, as junior Gianna Lombardi drove in freshman Brooklyn Ury.
Western had numerous chances to retake the lead in the top of the fifth but couldn’t capitalize, stranding two runners on base, with one thrown out at home and another at third.
Pitoy continued her hot streak (6 for 15 in the tournament, including a first-round walk-off) in the top of the sixth, dropping a high-arcing ball into right field that CSUSM’s outfielder couldn’t corral. Pitoy reached third before Paulson drove her in to take the lead.
The Cougars, however, weren’t done. CSUSM stacked runners on first and third in the bottom of the sixth, and sophomore Czar Fleischman connected on a hit that went straight to Rath at shortstop. Rath rocketed the ball to catcher Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez, who tagged out the would-be game-tying run.
“If you look at every championship team, especially in softball, they have a great defense, they have a great pitching staff and that’s something that’s sustained us,” Gilmore said. “That play … was huge for us. But we knew it was going to happen.”
But the Cougars still had two runners on, with one at third. Redshirt junior Gianna Lombardi grounded into Andrews at third base, who threw her out at first to end the sixth inning.
After four at-bats in the bottom of the seventh for CSUSM, it was over.
Baker, Kong and Kimball combined to allow five hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out two.
Game 1: Western Washington 7, Cal State San Marcos 1
Western exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to force a winner-take-all championship against Cal State San Marcos.
The Vikings’ seven runs all came unanswered, as CSUSM’s lone run came early in the top of the second inning.
Andrews, who finished 3-for-4 batting with two runs scored and an RBI, wasted no time jumpstarting Western’s offense, connecting on a double to deep left-center field to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
The Vikings were unable to drive her in, but it was a sign of things to come.
CSUSM struck first on the scoreboard, as junior Makenzie Guiliano drove in fellow junior Savannah Coyle on a two-out single to left field. With two runners still in the field, Kimball kept the Cougars’ lead to 1-0 by striking out the next batter.
Andrews burst back into the spotlight in the bottom of the third inning. The freshman belted a solo home run well beyond the left field fence, tying the game at 1-1 with no outs.
Western kept rolling into the bottom of the fourth when McKenna Crum drove a single down the middle to score Ashley Jacobson, giving the Vikings their first lead of the game at 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Pitoy and Rath put down consecutive singles to begin the inning before Pitoy got home on a sacrifice fly from Paulson to extend the lead further.
Kong relieved Kimball in the circle to begin the sixth inning. Kimball threw five innings, allowing six hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out two. Kong allowed just one hit to close out the game.
Khorrami and Crum picked up where they left off, connecting on consecutive hits to put Andrews at the plate with two runners on. Andrews’ stellar day continued with a single to load the bases, setting up Pitoy’s one-out sacrifice fly to bring Khorrami home and make it 4-1.
Andrewjeski-Ramirez then drilled a single to left field, scoring Andrews and Crum and giving the Vikings a 6-1 advantage.
Paulson added one more on a two-out single to left field to score Rath, and the Vikings’ went to the second game with a resounding game-one victory.
Connor J. Benintendi is a former CDN sports reporter, send tips and information to newstips@cascadiadaily.com.
