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

ELLENSBURG (Apr. 22) -- Central Washington University junior pitcher Brandon Rohde (Gig Harbor) gave up just one earned run in seven innings of game one against Saint Martin's University, and freshman Ethan Sterkel (Ellensburg) hit his first career home run in game two, but the Wildcat baseball team was swept by the Saints, 5-2 and 11-2, on Friday afternoon.

The Wildcats fell to 10-26 on the season, and 3-19 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, while Saint Martin's improved to 23-18, 19-7 in the GNAC.

Central took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one on a RBI double by junior Derrick Webb (Ephrata) that scored senior Kelly Gau (Woodinville) from second base. Rohde kept the Saints off the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when two costly Wildcat errors helped SMU score a pair of runs to take a 2-1 advantage.

Two more defensive miscues by CWU in the eighth inning aided a three-run inning for the visitors, who took a 5-1 into the final inning, when Central Washington scored its final run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

Rohde gave up just two runs and struck out nine without walking a batter over seven innings of work, but fell to 1-6 on the season.

Central again took an early lead in game two, as Sterkel led off the second inning with a solo home run to left field for a 1-0 advantage. After Saint Martin's tied the score in the top of the third inning, Gau manufactured a go-ahead run for the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning after singling to left field, stealing second base, and then scoring on a one-out single by junior Brandon Wang (Mill Creek/Henry M. Jackson HS).

The Saints' bats unloaded in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs on eight hits to take a commanding 8-2 lead. SMU added three more runs in the final two innings to take the 11-2 victory.

Gau finished the day 5 for 8 with a RBI, two runs scored, and was the only Wildcat in the doubleheader to record multiple hits.

Saint Martin's starting pitchers Casey Mitchell and Thomas DeBoer both picked up wins Friday, combining to throw 14 1/3 innings, while giving up 14 hits and just three runs. Offensively, the Saints totaled 25 hits, four of which came from Bobby Twedt, who also drove in a run and scored three times in the twinbill.

Central Washington will look to salvage a split of the four-game weekend series against Saint Martin's with a doubleheader on Saturday at noon.