BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University softball team opens the 2018 season this weekend with five games in the Desert Stinger Tournament at Majestic Park in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Vikings open the season with a pair of games on Friday, Feb. 2, playing Stanislaus State and Colorado Christian. The tournament schedule continues with Sonoma State and nationally-ranked No. 21 Chico State on Saturday, and concludes Sunday against Concordia-Irvine.
WWU head coach Amy Suiter enters her eighth season at the helm of the program and has high expectations for her young team.
“We are a mix of returning players and a young group of freshmen,” said Suiter, who owns a 196-147 (.571) record at WWU. “We are excited to get on the field and see how all the hard work has paid off.”
The Vikings will be a team focused on pitching and defense, but Suiter was not ready to dismiss her team’s offensive potential.
“No doubt we have a team on paper that sets up to have pitching and defense as our strongpoints, but our hitters have looked awfully strong in preseason and I am excited to see them tested this weekend and grow throughout the season,” said Suiter.
WWU returns four of five pitchers that saw action during last season’s GNAC Tournament championship season, which combined for 28 of the 34 wins and nearly 80% of the team’s starts (42 of 53). Sophomore Anna Kasner (Milton, WA/Fife) looks to build off her solid freshman season in which she went 16-6 with a 2.29 ERA (47 ER, 143.2 IP) and registered 188 strikeouts.
“Anna had a phenomenal freshman season and we are looking for her to take another step forward as a team leader and two-way player,” said Suiter. “Anna has the support of her teammates and just needs to be herself out on the field and not put too much pressure on herself.”
Also returning in the circle, and at third base for the Vikings, is junior Shearyna Labasan (Mililani, HI/Maryknoll). Labasan was 12-6, 3.37 ERA last season in the circle and batted .360 (63-for-175) with a .442 on-base percentage (26 BB) and led the team with 14 stolen bases. Senior outfielder/catcher Carlie Richards (Kennewick,
WA/Kamiakin) is coming off a solid junior season where she earned NFCA All-West Region honors batting .364 (39-for-107) with 8 doubles, 2 home runs and 22 RBI.
Overall, the Vikings return seven starters and 10 letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished 34-19 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships.
Information courtesy of WWU Athletics
