Box Score

LEWISTON, Idaho (Feb. 18) -- Central Washington University junior pitcher Brandon Rohde (Gig Harbor) picked up his first win as a Wildcat, guiding the baseball team to a 5-2 non-conference win over Saint Martin's University on Friday in the opening game of the Guardian Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Tournament at Harris Field.

The Wildcats (4-3) are now above .500 through seven games for the first time since the 2007 season, when they started the season 6-1. Saint Martin's fell to 1-7.

Rohde (1-1) threw seven innings for Central, striking out six batters while scattering six hits and surrendering two runs. All six of his strikeouts came in the first 2 2/3 innings.

Central scored the game's first run in the fourth inning as junior Brady Kincannon (Federal Way/Decatur HS) led off the inning with a single, eventually scoring on a Saint Martin's error following a single by Glen Reser (Spokane/Mead HS).

The Wildcats added to their 1-0 lead with one more run in the fifth inning. Junior Scott Cooper (Ellensburg) led off the inning with a single to left-center field, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jimmy Ryerson (Seattle/Roosevelt HS), and then scored on a two-out RBI single by junior Derrick Webb (Ephrata).

In the seventh inning, Ryerson hit his team-leading sixth double of the season -- and his second of the game -- and later scored on a RBI single by Webb to increase the Wildcat advantage to 3-0. Saint Martin's closed the gap to one in its half of the seventh scoring two runs on three hits off Rhode.

The Central Washington offense responded by adding two insurance runs -- both unearned -- in the top of the eighth inning. Junior Brett Bielec (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) drove in the first on a run scoring single scoring freshman pinch-runner Connor Williams (Buckley/White River HS), and senior Nate Wallen (Bremerton/Central Kitsap HS) followed by scoring Bielec with a two-out, pinch-hit triple to give Central a 5-2 advantage.

Senior pitcher Jake Millbauer (Kennewick/Kamiakin HS) held the Saints' bats at bay for the remainder of the game, allowing just one hit in two innings of work to earn his first save of the 2011 season.

The Wildcats outhit Saint Martin's 12-5, and did not commit an error for the fifth straight game, marking the team's longest streak of error-free baseball since the 2007 season. Saint Martin's committed two errors in Friday's game.

Ryerson, Webb, Kincannon, and Cooper each had two hits in the contest. Webb had two RBI in the contest, and now leads the club with seven on the season.

Saint Martin's got seven innings from left-hander Michael McIver. He struck out five, allowing nine hits and three runs in the process. Blaine Evans went 2 for 3 for the Saints, while Aaron Johnson and Travis Jones each drove in a run.

The Wildcats will finish their two-day stay at the tournament by playing Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.