Box Score

LEWISTON, Idaho (Feb. 19) -- Central Washington University senior Kris Henderson (Liberty Lake/Central Valley HS) hit his first home run of the 2011 season, but the baseball team was unable to fend off Western Oregon University, losing 7-3 on Saturday afternoon at the Guardian Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Tournament at Harris Field.

Central Washington fell to 4-4 on the season, while the Wolves improved their record to 5-6.

The Wolves went ahead 4-0, scoring two runs in each of the first two innings. CWU answered in its half of the second inning, scoring twice, as sophomore David Leid (Carson City, Nev./Carson HS) got a one-out double, setting the table for Henderson who followed with his first round-tripper of the season to cut the WOU margin to 4-2.

The Wildcats again chipped away at the deficit, scoring another run in the fifth inning to make the score 4-3. Junior Brett Bielec (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) led the inning off with a double, and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Wolves. Sophomore Jimmy Ryerson (Seattle/Roosevelt HS) then drove Bielec home on a single up the middle, extending his hitting streak to eight games.

The Wolves rallied in the seventh inning, scoring three runs on four hits, to extend their advantage to the final 7-3 mark.

Junior Brady Kincannon (Federal Way/Decatur HS), Leid, and Bielec all had two hits for the Wildcats, who totaled 10 hits in the game.

The Central bullpen held its ground against the Wolves, as reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-Pitcher of the Week Palmer Brown (Sacramento, Calif./Rio Americano HS) and junior Kyle Cruzen (Richland/Hanford HS) combined to keep Western Oregon scoreless in the final three innings of the ballgame.

Miles Kizer was 2 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI for Western Oregon, which finished with 13 total hits. Wolves' starter Michael Ward (1-1) threw six innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and eight hits while striking out four.

Up next for the Wildcat baseball team is a four-game series at the University of Puget Sound, starting with a doubleheader next Saturday (Feb. 26) at 11 a.m.