April 20, 2008

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University pitching ace Jessica Rosencrants (Jr., Sequim), who had been out two weeks because of shoulder tendinitis, made a triumphant return as she tossed a four-hitter in helping the Vikings defeat arch-rival Central Washington University, 4-1, in the nightcap of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Sunday at Viking Field on the WWU campus.

Western improved to 22-16 overall and is tied for third place in the league standings at 10-6. Only one game separates the top four teams, with Seattle U. leading at 10-4 and Western Oregon second at 11-5.

Central, 15-21 overall and 10-6 in GNAC action, won the opener 13-1. Holly Rossman hit a grand-slam home run in the third inning of that contest, finishing 4-for-4 and driving in five runs.

In the second game, Rosencrants (11-6) retired 16 of the first 18 batters she faced, striking out five and not issuing a walk.

Central's only run came in the top of the seventh inning when Mallory Holtman doubled, went to second on a ground out, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Logan Mohr.

Western scored three runs in the first inning, two unearned, off Katriina Reime (4-5), who pitched a complete-game for the Wildcats. Meghan Flem (So., Hood River, OR/Hood River Valley) brought in one run with a sacrifice fly and the others scored on two Central errors.

The Vikings got another unearned run in the second before Reime retired 14 of the last 16 batters she faced.

Western's Jenna Mohrweis (Fr., Mill Creek/Jackson) and Liza Teichler (Sr., Sammamish/Skyline) each had two hits. Michelle Wrigley (Fr., Bothell/Inglemoor) was 1-for-3, scoring one run and driving in another.

In the first game, Central had 17 hits, scoring one run in the first, five in the third, four in the fourth and three in the fifth.

The home run was the eighth of the year for Rossman. Holtman was 2-for-3, scoring three runs and driving in one.

Wildcat pitcher Linse Vlahovich (9-11) allowed just three hits, all singles, to Wrigley, Flem and Teichler. Vlahovich struck out eight and walked six.

Western left 10 runners on base and Central eight.

Sarah McEnroe (So., Woodinville) (4-7), who had won her last three starts for the Vikings, went just 2-1/3 innings.

It was senior day for Western with Katie Barker (Sr., Auburn/Auburn-Riverside), Reina Boersma (Sr., Ferndale), Lisa Pendergrast (Sr., Burlington/Burlington-Edison) and Teichler being honored prior to the start of game one.

The Vikings, who completed a nine-game home stand with a 6-3 record, next travel to Montana State Billings for doubleheaders on Saturday (12 noon) and Sunday (10 a.m.).