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

ELLENSBURG (May 8) -- Senior Jake Hammons (Snohomish) struck out six over 6 2/3 innings and fellow senior Kevin Walkenhauer (Yakima/West Valley HS) combined to go 5 for 8 with five RBI in his final collegiate doubleheader as the Central Washington University baseball team split with Montana State University Billings in the 2010 season finales for both teams. After dropping the opener, 12-10, Central claimed the nightcap 4-2.

The Wildcats finished the year with a 14-36 overall record and tied for fourth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with MSU Billings with 8-24 conference records. Central also earned its first weekend series victory of the season by claiming three of four from the Yellowjackets, whose overall record finished at 11-35.

Hammons, a late-season addition to the pitching staff and the club's regular catcher, evened his record to 2-2 with Saturday's game-two outing. He came within one out of throwing a complete game victory, but with the bases loaded, freshman Jordon Wakefield (Curlew) struck out Kevin Zukaitis with the bases loaded to earn his first collegiate save and earn Hammons the win.

The Wildcats won the second game thanks to a two-run fifth inning that gave them a 3-1 lead. In that inning, seniors Ricky McKinney (Aberdeen) and Walkenhauer had consecutive doubles after redshirt freshman Marcus Evans (Kent/Kentlake HS) had started the inning with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Evans to second base, McKinney delivered his two-base hit to give Central the edge and Walkenhauer followed with the two-bagger of his own.

Montana State Billings scored once in the top of the sixth on Chris Round's home run to left-center field, but the 3-2 count is as close as the Yellowjackets would get despite loading the bases with two out in the seventh.

Central added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as junior Kelly Gau (Woodinville) raced home on a wild pitch after having singled and stolen second base to start the inning.

The Wildcats' seven hits were accumulated from four players as McKinney, Walkenhauer, and Gau all had two hits each. Hammons also helped his own cause with a single in the contest.

In the opening game, the CWU defense committed a season-high seven errors and the offense stranded 14 runners on base and hit into three double plays in a 12-10 loss.

The Wildcats started fast in the opener, scoring five runs in the second inning, and they led until the eighth inning with the exception of a 6-6 tie after 4 1/2 innings. After Central took a 10-8 lead into the eighth, MSUB scored two unearned runs with two out before winning the game on a dropped fly ball with two out in the ninth.

The two teams combined for 22 runs, 31 hits, 11 errors, and 27 runners left on base in the game, and each team utilized three pitchers. CWU sophomore Ryan Tarver (Mukilteo/Kamiak HS) took the loss for the Wildcats in relief after surrendering five unearned runs in four innings of work. McKinney, Walkenhauer, and Gau were again the offensive leaders for Central, finishing with three hits each, while junior Kris Henderson (Liberty Lake/Central Valley HS) went 2 for 3 with a pair of walks.

Ty Sobieraj led MSU Billings with a perfect 5 for 5 performance in the opener.

Central Washington recognized nine senior players who played in their final collegiate games, six of which started in Saturday's final game.