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

LACEY (Mar. 20) -- Junior Keola Rubin (Spanaway/Bethel HS) had three hits in game one, and junior Kelly Gau (Woodinville) scored both Central Washington University runs in game two, but the Wildcats' baseball struggles continued Saturday with 21-3 and 10-2 losses to host Saint Martin's University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

The losses drop Central's record to 3-15 overall and 1-5 in GNAC play, while Saint Martin's improved to 9-12 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The Wildcats have now lost 13 of their last 14 after a 2-2 start.

In the opener, Central fell behind 14-0 after seven innings but got a pinch-hit RBI single from junior Kris Henderson (Liberty Lake/Central Valley HS) to break the shutout. However, Saint Martin's scored seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 21-1 lead. The Wildcats collected hits from Nate Sadler (Kirkland/Lake Washington HS) and Rubin in the ninth, and senior Ricky McKinney (Aberdeen) had a sacrifice fly to accompany Rubin's RBI single to cut the final margin to 21-3.

CWU starter Bryce Hjellum (Kennewick/Kamiakin HS) struck out five and walked just one in 5 1/3 innings, but he surrendered five unearned runs among the 11 total runs he allowed. He was followed by five different relievers over the next 2 2/3 innings, who combined to give up 10 earned runs.

Saint Martin's was led by a 5 for 5, seven RBI performance from Aaron Johnson, who finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Josh Grenier scored four runs and went 3 for 5 hitting in front of Johnson in the Saints' lineup, and starting pitcher Thomas DeBoer (3-1) allowed just five hits over seven innings to earn the win.

In game two, the two teams were tied entering the bottom of the fourth inning, but a four-run fourth and a four-run sixth enabled the Saints to pull away in the seven-inning game.

The Wildcats shuffled the lineup offensively, with Gau starting and batting cleanup, where he responded by reaching base twice in three at-bats (one hit) and scoring both times he was on base. Senior Kevin Walkenhauer (Yakima/West Valley HS) and sophomore Brett Bielec (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) each drove home Gau with singles through the infield in the second and fourth innings, respectively, to account for most of Central's offense. Sophomore Alex Milden (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) had the only other hit for the Wildcats against SMU left-hander Michael McIver.

Junior Jake Millbauer (Kennewick/Kamiakin HS) suffered the pitching loss, allowing six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Grenier had four hits in as many at-bats for Saint Martin's, while Andy Cole drove in three with two hits in four at-bats.

The two teams will wrap up their weekend series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at noon on the Saint Martin's University campus in Lacey.