The Western Washington University softball team will play for the national title.
The Vikings punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II championship series with a pair of wins over No. 2 nationally-ranked University of Indianapolis on Wednesday in Longwood, Fla.
The Vikings opened the day with a grueling 2-1 victory in 12 innings, staving off elimination with clutch pitching and defense to strand the bases loaded three times in extra frames. WWU then took control from the start in the winner-take-all nightcap vs. the Greyhounds with a 7-1 victory to improve to 52-10 overall and 7-0 in elimination games during the NCAA tournament.
WWU plays No. 2 nationally-ranked UT Tyler in a best-of-three series, beginning at 9 a.m. PT Friday. Game 2 will be 9 a.m. Saturday; if necessary, Game 3 will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
TRACK AND FIELD
• In the first of four days at the NCAA west preliminaries in Fayetteville, Ark., the UW track and field squads had three field participants punch their tickets for nationals in June in Eugene, Ore. Pac-12 champions Chandler Ault and Prestin Artis both moved on in the javelin and long jump, respectively, as did Max Manson, who was the Pac-12 pole vault silver medalist.
GOLF
• PGA pro Tyler Carlson of Quail Ridge GC in Clarkston won the 99th Muckleshoot Casino Resort Washington Open Invitational, finishing the 36-hole tournament at 8-under par.
He won by one stroke over PGA pro Conner Robbins of North Shore GC in Tacoma and amateur Johnny Carey of Mill Creek CC, who won low amateur honors.
BASEBALL
• UW fell to No. 18 Arizona 6-5 in Pac-12 tournament action in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Huskies ended their season 19-31-1.
MINORS
• The host Tacoma Rainiers (25-21) topped the Las Vegas Aviators 14-10. Michael Chavis had three hits for the Rainiers.
• The Everett AquaSox (18-21) defeated the Tri-City Dust Devils 7-1 at Funko Park. Brandyn Garcia (3-0, 3.18 ERA) got the win.