PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington University freshman Rylie Wales went 1-for-2 with an RBI to extend her hitting streak to a career-high 6 consecutive games, but it wasn’t enough as the Vikings dropped a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball game to Montana State Billings 4-1 Friday night at Porter Park on the Concordia University campus.
The game was a makeup for the snowed out game on March 31 in Billings. The Vikings dropped their third consecutive game to fall to 12-27 on the season and 6-14 in GNAC play. MSUB completed the 4-game season sweep of WWU to improve to 19-18 overall and 9-7 in league play.
The Yellowjackets took the early lead scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Back-to-back singles to lead off the inning set up the rally, with designated player Megan Dettling plating both runs with a one-out single to left field.
Western pulled to within one run in the top of the 4th inning. Junior pitcher Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll) and sophomore shortstop Paityn Cyr (Mount Vernon, WA) led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and Wales (Snohomish, WA) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Vikings had the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with one out, but MSUB got out of the jam to keep the game 2-1.
MSUB extended its lead to 4-1 with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. Center fielder Amanda Barham, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, had a run-scoring triple and GNAC hits leader Heather Tracy plated another run with an infield single to second base.
WWU had another scoring threat squelched in the top of the 5th inning after putting runners on 2nd and 3rd base with one out, but MSUB starter Maddy Lincoln got a foul out and line out to end the inning.
Labasan (5-14) was saddled with the loss allowing 6 hits and 4 runs in the complete-game effort. The junior struck out 5 batters while issuing a pair of walks.
WWU tied MSUB with 6 hits, spread across 6 players in the lineup. The Vikings were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Lincoln (10-10) earned the win for MSUB allowing 6 hits and 1 run while pitching all 7.0 innings. Tracy (3-for-3, R, RBI) and Barham (2-for-2, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI) paced MSUB’s offense recording 5 of the ‘Jackets 6 hits.
The Vikings continue their road trip with a pair of road doubleheaders over the next two days, taking on Saint Martin’s tomorrow in Lacey (starts at 1 pm) and Central Washington on Sunday in Ellensburg (starts at noon).
Game Notes: Shearyna Labasan recorded 5 strikeouts to give her 236 in her three-year career, moving into 8th place in WWU history…Labasan also moved into a tie for 7th place in program history with her 72nd career appearance (56 starts are also 7th-most)…Rylie Wales (6 games) and Labasan (5 games) each extended their hitting streaks, while Kira Doan had her career-high 6-game hitting streak snapped.
