Western Washington Vikings Softball - Western Washington University Official Athletic Site

WWU notches 1-0 victory over No.20 UC San Diego at TOC

Vikings fall 5-4 to Chaminade, edged 4-3 by Central Washington

Stephanie Fox

April 1, 2012

Box Score

TURLOCK, Calif. - Stephanie Fox (Sr., Sammamish/Eastlake) pitched a four-hit shutout and drove in the only run as Western Washington University upset nationally No.20-ranked UC San Diego, 1-0, in final-day softball action Sunday at the 11th Annual Mizuno Tournament of Champions.

The Vikings, 8-25 overall, completed pool play in the morning with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Chaminade HI. The win over UC San Diego advanced them to the consolation bracket final where they were edged 4-3 by Central Washington.

Fox (3-5) limited the Tritons to four singles, walking three and striking out one. She retired the last nine UC San Diego batters.

WWU got a runner to third in the first, third and fifth innings, but could not score off Triton pitcher Camille Gaito (18-6), who suffered her sixth loss in 24 decisions.

The Vikings scored the game's only run in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Jessica Carey (Sr., Everett) doubled to right field and scored on a double to left by Fox.

WWU's Cheyenne Best (Fr., Big Lake/Sedro-Woolley) had three hits in the contest, while Carey and Fox each had two.

In the Chaminade game, WWU took a 3-0 lead with a run-scoring single by Kaleigh Keating (So., Salinas, CA) in the first and two more runs in fourth. Jackie Rothenberger (Jr., Coquitlam, BC) doubled across one and later scored on a throwing error.

Chaminade scored three runs in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3, but the Vikings reclaimed the lead with an unearned run in the sixth on a single by Kristen Allen (Jr., Arlington).

In the bottom of the seventh, the Silverswords loaded the bases with one out. Anuhea Yamaguchi tied the game with an infield single and Aja Keyes ended it with a single to center.

Keating and Rothenberger each had two hits for WWU.

Vikings' pitcher Janelle Kasch (Fr., Snohomish) limited Central to three hits and had retired 10 straight before the Wildcats broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

WWU scored one in the top of the seventh on a two-out sacrifice fly by Carey and had the tying run on third, but Wildcat reliever Taryn Smith (1-1) ended the game with a strikeout.

Krista Bickar (Sr., Hoquiam) hit a solo home run for the Vikings, her second of the season, in the second, and Rothenberger had a run-scoring single in the fourth.

WWU opened the tourney Friday with three losses, 6-2 to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0 to nationally No.9-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills and 5-1 in eight innings to No.11 Chico State. The Vikings bounced back with a 12-4 win over Dominican CA on Saturday.

Carey hit a team-leading .500 (12-for-24) for WWU in the seven tourney games and Best batted .474 (9-for-19). Fox had a 1-1 record, not allowing an earned run in 14 innings.

WWU returns to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this weekend, playing host to doubleheaders with Saint Martin's on Friday (1 p.m.) and Saturday (12 noon) at Viking Field.