Athletics Weekend Recap
The Central Washington University baseball and softball teams kicked off their seasons in Calif. this weekend, highlighted by the softball team shutting out second-ranked CSU Dominguez Hills.
Despite dropping their first four matchups in the CUI Kick-Off Classic in Irvine, Calif. the softball team rose to the occasion on Sunday, knocking off Cal State Dominguez Hills 3-0 from a dominant pitching performance by Isabel Womack. Allie Thiessen scored two of CWU’s three runs. Through the weekend, Kate Hopkins leads the team with six hits and a batting average of .429. The team’s record sits at 1-4 and they’ll be back in action at home on Feb. 18 vs. Corban University.
The baseball team struggled in their opening weekend, falling to 0-4 with losses to the University of Redlands and Cal State San Bernardino. In their season opener vs. Redlands, the bats started hot as the Wildcats scored 11 runs but ended up losing by one run. Kevin Varner Jr. launched the team’s first HR of the year. Ben Leid led the team with three hits.
The Wildcats transitioned to CSUSB with a three-game series against the Coyotes. In Saturday’s doubleheader, the team dropped both games five combined runs. Charlie Larson, Brady Hinkle and Sam Lauderdale all hit dingers. On Sunday, the Coyote offense cranked out 19 runs. Carter Olson launched a HR to left-center field, but the team’s offense couldn’t muster up enough to challenge CSUSB. The Wildcats will travel back to Calif. with a four-game series against Cal State East Bay on tap this weekend.
The Central Washington University basketball teams hit the road this week. The women’s team started with a 88-81 win at the Simon Fraser Red Leafs. The Wildcats jumped out to a 17-4 lead and was able to fend off a comeback from SFU. Samantha Bowman logged a double-double (29 points, 21 rebounds). Valerie “Sunshine” Huerta added 24 points and Asher Cai scored 22.
On Saturday, the team traveled to Carver Gym in Bellingham, Wash. for a showdown against the ninth-ranked Western Washington Vikings. The Vikings shot .500 from the floor as the Wildcats fell 60-78. Asher Cai led CWU scorers with 19 points. Huerta, Bowman and Ashley Schow rounded out double-digit scorers. Both Alaska schools will be traveling to Ellensburg this week for games against the Wildcats. First, the team will face Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7:00 p.m. The team will celebrate their four seniors with their Senior Day matchup against Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 4:00 p.m.
The men’s basketball team made their trip to Alaska this weekend, starting at Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday. The Wildcats were unable to fight off injuries and foul trouble, falling to the Nanooks 66-69. Matt Poquette led the Wildcats with 14 points while Colby Gennett (13), Samaad Hector (12) and Camron McNeil (12) rounded out double-digit scorers.
In Saturday’s matchup at Alaska Anchorage, the Seawolves shot .528 from the field and the Wildcats lost 66-76. Hector led with 16 points and five rebounds. Poquette recorded 15 points and four rebounds. The Crimson and Black will be back home this Saturday, Feb. 11, for a matchup against the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks at 6:15 p.m.
The Central Washington University men’s rugby continued their hot streak to start the season at UCLA, downing the Bruins 52-21 behind a dominant second half. Oscar Treacy (3), Calvin Liulamaga (2), Albert O’Shannessey (2) and Kye Jones (1) scored tries for the team. Oliver Cline nailed six made conversion attempts. The team is 4-0 and will travel to Saint Mary’s, a national championship caliber team, on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 12:00 p.m.
The Central Washington University indoor track & field team competed at the WSU Open & Combined Events this past weekend. Drew Klein and Braydon Maier finished as the top finishers. Klein tied for 6th in the men’s pole vault with Maier, but also set a new PR in the men’s 60-meter hurdles prelims with a time of 8.66 seconds. Zoe McDevitt ran a personal record of 2:20.65 in the women's 800-meter race. The team will have their final tune-up ahead of the GNAC Indoor Championships at the Whitworth Invitational in Spokane, Wash. this upcoming Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10 and 11.