Last Updated on April 14, 2026 3:39 pm by ZUWP Automation

Vikings Split Wild Four-Game Set at MSU Billings as Andrews Continues Torrid Stretch

No. 4 West Region Western Washington pounded out 41 hits and 28 runs in Billings but dropped both nightcaps as the Yellowjackets fought back to earn a series split.

Western Washington’s softball team traveled to Avitus Group Stadium in Billings, Montana for a four-game GNAC series against Montana State Billings on April 10-11 and came home with a split, winning both openers and dropping both nightcaps. The Vikings outscored the Yellowjackets 28-24 and outhit them 41-31 across the four contests, but inconsistent pitching in Games 2 and 4 allowed MSUB to rally for a pair of wins that kept Western Washington from a statement sweep.

The split moves the No. 4 West Region Vikings to 23-12 overall (8-4 GNAC), while MSU Billings stands at 5-37 (2-12 GNAC). For a team ranked 50th nationally in team batting average (.318) and 34th in scoring offense (6.30 runs per game), leaving Billings without a sweep against the 230th-ranked offense in D2 will sting.

Game 1: Vikings 8, Yellowjackets 3

Western Washington’s offense erupted for 12 hits in the series opener. Junior third baseman Maleah Andrews set the tone with a perfect 3-for-3 day that included a home run, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Her OBP for the game was a flawless 1.000.

EmmaJoy Wise backed Andrews with a 2-for-4 performance highlighted by a three-run homer in the fifth inning that blew the game open, driving in three and pushing the lead from 2-1 to 5-2. Haylee Kim added a 2-for-4 day, and Payton Chacon reached base and stole three bags, continuing to flash the speed that ranks her 37th nationally in stolen bases per game.

Freshman pitcher Alanna Wirtala went the full seven innings, scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs while striking out three. It was a workmanlike outing from the freshman whose strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks 108th nationally, and her ability to pitch deep kept the bullpen fresh.

Game 2: Yellowjackets 10, Vikings 2 (5 innings)

The nightcap was a disaster from the mound. Evalyn Massena lasted just 1.2 innings, surrendering five earned runs, and relievers Mac Ferguson (1.1 IP, 3 ER) and Olivia Matlock (1.1 IP, 2 ER) could not stop the bleeding. MSU Billings pounded out nine hits in just five innings, turning the game into a run-rule rout.

Alexis Tovar homered for the Yellowjackets, and Jillian Karsjen went 2-for-3 to pace the MSUB attack. For Western Washington, Andrews managed another hit (1-for-2), and Laila Carpenter provided the lone bright spot with a solo home run. But the Vikings managed just five hits as a team and struck out only once against MSUB’s pitching tandem of Shelby Wasilewski (3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K) and Avery Gray (2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K), a sign that weak contact rather than missed bats was the issue.

Game 3: Vikings 11, Yellowjackets 2 (5 innings)

Western Washington responded to the Game 2 humiliation with its most dominant performance of the series. The Vikings pounded 13 hits and run-ruled MSU Billings in five innings.

Andrews was again the catalyst, going 3-for-3 with a home run for the second time in the series. She finished the game with a 2.000 slugging percentage. Hailey Rath, the senior slugger whose 11 home runs and 1.19 RBI per game rank 28th and 29th nationally, went 2-for-3 with a home run and 4 RBI. Wise continued her hot series with a 3-for-4 day, and Matlock added 2-for-4 to atone for her Game 2 pitching struggles.

Wirtala returned to the circle and threw a complete game, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout. MSU Billings burned through four pitchers, with starter Danica Butler lasting only 2.1 innings (3 ER) and reliever Ashley Akers getting roughed up for four earned runs in a single inning.

Wynter Hurst provided the Yellowjackets’ only power with a solo homer, and Marleigh Nieto, whose .471 batting average ranks 22nd nationally, went 2-for-3.

Game 4: Yellowjackets 9, Vikings 7

The series finale was a slugfest that MSU Billings won on the strength of four home runs. Grace Hood (3-for-4, HR), Cazz Rankosky (1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI), Josie Theilen (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI), and Nieto (2-for-4, HR) all went deep as the Yellowjackets’ bats came alive against Wirtala, who surrendered seven earned runs in four innings.

Western Washington fought back with 11 hits of its own. Andrews went 2-for-3 with her third home run of the series and 2 RBI. Matlock was the hottest Viking bat in the finale with a 3-for-4 day, and Emily McCutcheon added a 2-for-4 performance. But the pitching could not hold serve, and Massena (2.0 IP, 1 ER) was the only Viking arm to show any resistance.

Series Standout: Maleah Andrews

Andrews was untouchable in Billings. Across four games she went 9-for-11 (.818) with three home runs, 5 RBI, and 5 runs scored. Her series performance was consistent with her season-long dominance: Andrews’ .439 batting average ranks 48th nationally, her .567 OBP is 11th in all of D2, and her doubles rate ranks 25th. She was the best player on the field in every game she played.

Other Series Standouts

Hailey Rath went 4-for-14 (.286) with a home run and 5 RBI across the series. Her HR/game rate of 0.30 ranks 28th nationally, and her 1.19 RBI per game sits 29th. She delivered in the biggest moments, particularly her 4-RBI explosion in Game 3.

EmmaJoy Wise went 6-for-15 (.400) with a three-run homer in Game 1. Her ability to drive the ball in the gaps and produce multi-hit games gave the middle of the WWU lineup consistent production.

Alanna Wirtala threw 9.0 innings across two starts (Games 1 and 3), going 2-0 with a combined 4 earned runs allowed. The freshman’s ability to go deep into games saved a taxed bullpen, though her Game 4 start was cut short after four innings.

The Pitching Problem

The story of the series split is simple: when Wirtala was on the mound as a starter in Games 1 and 3, WWU won by a combined 19-5. When she was not, or when the bullpen was asked to carry the load, the results cratered. In Games 2 and 4 combined, the non-Wirtala pitching staff allowed 17 earned runs in 10.1 innings (14.82 ERA). Massena, Ferguson, and Matlock were all hit hard, and MSUB’s lineup, ranked 230th in team batting average, looked like a top-50 offense against them.

For a team with postseason aspirations and a No. 4 West Region ranking, the pitching depth behind Wirtala is the clear area of concern heading into the final stretch of GNAC play.

Series Results

What It Means

The split keeps Western Washington firmly in the GNAC race at 8-4 in conference, though leaving Billings without a sweep against a sub-.200 team is a missed opportunity. The Vikings’ offense is elite, and Andrews in particular is playing at an All-American level. But the gap between Wirtala and the rest of the pitching staff is a vulnerability that better GNAC opponents will exploit.

MSU Billings, despite the overall record, showed fight. Nieto’s .471 batting average (22nd nationally) and Hood’s power (8 HR) give the Yellowjackets legitimate offensive threats, and their ability to break through against WWU’s bullpen twice in four games is a sign of a team that plays harder at home.