Box Score (Game #1)
Box Score (Game #2)

CHICO, Calif. (Feb. 28) -- The Central Washington University baseball team rallied to take a 9-8 lead in the opening game, but Chico State scored six unanswered runs in the opener and followed with a 20-1 victory in a NCAA Division II West Region baseball doubleheader on Sunday at Nettleton Stadium. Central dropped the opening game by a 14-9 final.

CWU fell to 2-8 on the season and has lost its last six games. Chico State, ranked 16th in this week's Collegiate Baseball poll, improved to 10-2 overall by completing the four-game sweep of Central.

In the opener, the visitors fell behind 6-1 after three innings of work. However, Central scored two runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth to take its first lead of the series at 8-6, and although Chico State tied the score in the bottom of the inning, CWU regained the lead on Eric Sorensen's (Ellensburg/Kittitas HS) one-out double in the top of the sixth to make it a 9-8 contest.

Central's lead was short-lived once again, however, as Chico State scored once in the bottom of the sixth and then added a single tally in the seventh and four insurance runs in the eighth en route to their five-run victory.

CWU had its best offensive game of the tournament in the opener, pounding out 10 hits including two each from junior Chance Plutt (Dillon, Mont./Beaverhead County HS) and freshman Sean Murphy (Bothell/Woodinville HS). Seven of Central's nine starters had hits, and three players -- Plutt, Murphy, and Sorensen -- scored two runs apiece.

Senior Michael McCanna (Addy/Jenkins HS) pitched the final six innings in relief of junior Travis Stultz (Lacey/River Ridge HS), who made his first pitching start of the year. Both pitchers surrendered six hits and five earned runs.

Chico State had 12 hits in the opener, with four players collecting two apiece. Johnny Hay drove in four for the hosts.

In game two, Central allowed five multi-run innings in Chico State's six trips to the plate in falling by the final 19-run margin. The Wildcats managed just four hits against three Chico pitchers, while four CWU hurlers were tagged for 22 hits. Freshman Hayden Rovegno (Seattle/Highline HS), who had a complete game victory in his Wildcat debut against Puget Sound on Feb. 14, allowed nine runs on as many hits in 2 1/3 innings on Sunday to take the loss (1-1).

Offensively, Central's bright spot in the series finale was left fielder Anthony Sanelli (Carnation/Issaquah HS), who went 2 for 2.

Chico State was led by Adrian Bringas' 4 for 4 outing, which also included a double, home run, four runs scored, and four runs batted in. Overall, the host Wildcats totaled eight doubles and a home run against Central in the finale.

Central Washington will have its hands full once again next weekend in its final tune-up before Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. The Wildcats travel east to Lewiston, Idaho, for the second time in three weekends for a two-game series with NAIA power Lewis-Clark State. CWU and LCSC will play single nine-inning games on Saturday (Mar. 6) and Sunday (Mar. 7), with both scheduled for 1 p.m. starts.