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

NAMPA, Idaho (Apr. 16) -- Senior Kevin Walkenhauer (Yakima/West Valley HS) was four outs away from a complete-game victory, but a two-out error in the bottom of the sixth inning spoiled the Central Washington University baseball team's bid for a doubleheader split with host Northwest Nazarene University on Friday evening at Elmore Vail Field. After losing the opener, 11-4, the Wildcats fell in the nightcap by a 5-4 score.

Central is now 8-26 overall and 4-14 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. NNU improved to 20-18 overall and 12-9 in GNAC action.

Walkenhauer, making just his third pitching start of the season, was spotted a 4-0 lead through 3 1/2 innings as the Wildcats scored once each in the second and third innings and twice in the top of the fourth. Junior Kris Henderson (Liberty Lake/Central Valley HS) delivered a two-out, two-run single in the fourth.

Northwest Nazarene chipped away at Central's lead with a single run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth. Then, after a two-out double by Sean McDonald in the sixth, an error prolonged the inning and Jon Keller drove home both base runners with his second double of the game -- and third of the doubleheader -- to give the Crusaders the lead at 5-4. McDonald, who came in to pitch in relief in the fourth, earned the victory.

The Wildcats finished with seven hits in game two, including two each from senior Jake Hammons (Snohomish) and junior Chance Plutt (Dillon, Mont./Beaverhead County HS). Both Hammons and Plutt also drove in runs in the contest.

Walkenhauer (1-2) struck out four and scattered nine hits on the mound, and had a double in two at-bats at the plate in the nightcap.

In game one, Central Washington had tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh but a seven-run bottom of the inning broke the game wide open for the host Crusaders in the 11-4 win.

Two innings -- a four-run third and the aforementioned seven-run seventh -- proved to be the difference for the Wildcats and starter Bryce Hjellum (Kennewick/Kamiakin HS), who was charged with all 11 runs and fell to 2-7 on the season.

Central's offense managed just five hits and was not able to fully take advantage of six errors by the Northwest Nazarene defense. Two of the Wildcats' four runs were unearned, including the game-tying tally in the seventh. Henderson and senior Ricky McKinney (Aberdeen) were credited with runs batted in on a single and groundout, respectively, during Central's three-run fourth inning.

Northwest Nazarene had seven hits, including four doubles and five total extra-base hits, in the decisive seventh inning when it chased Hjellum from the contest. Senior Tyler Warne (Aberdeen) pitched 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief for the Wildcats.

The two teams will conclude their eight-game season series on Saturday with a noon Mountain Daylight Time doubleheader at Vail Field. Central will then continue their six-game road trip next Tuesday (Apr. 20) with a non-league twinbill at Whitworth University in Spokane.