Box Score vs. Western Oregon
Box Score vs. Lewis-Clark State

LEWISTON, Idaho (Feb. 18) -- Senior BRANDON WANG (Mill Creek/Jackson HS) had the second four-hit game of his career, and the Central Washington University baseball team pounded out 14 hits, but the Wildcats fell to 17th-ranked Western Oregon University, 6-3, on Saturday morning at the Inland Cellular Tournament at Harris Field. The Wildcats then dropped their second game of the day, 7-1, to tournament host Lewis-Clark State College.

Central Washington is now 2-7 on the season and will play Saint Martin's University at 11 a.m. on Sunday in the tournament's third-place game.

Wang, whose first career four-hit game also came against Western Oregon in a 14-inning defeat last March, singled in the first, second, fifth, and sixth innings. His sixth-inning hit brought home the Wildcats' final run of the contest.

Central Washington started the game strong, scoring twice in the top of the first inning including a RBI infield single by senior BRADY KINCANNON (Federal Way/Decatur HS). Western Oregon countered with a single run on three hits in the bottom of the inning, but the Wildcats held onto their 2-1 lead until the bottom of the fifth.

In the Western Oregon fifth, the Wolves scored three runs on just two hits, as control problems plagued CWU sophomore DAVIS ENGEL (Ellensburg) in the frame. After consecutive hits to start the inning, Engel (0-1) walked three batters in the inning, and the only outs he recorded before being lifted for senior reliever DEREN JONES (Lewiston, Idaho) were sacrifices.

Wang's RBI single in the top of the sixth was the last of three hits in the inning, as he drove home junior JIMMY RYERSON (Seattle/Roosevelt HS).

Western Oregon tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth inning to push the margin to 6-3, where the count remained for the rest of the game. AJ Burke struck out five in three innings of relief for the Wolves to earn his second save of the year, while Travis Bradshaw improved to 3-0 after throwing the first six frames.

Central Washington's 14-hit effort, which was one hit shy of their season-high of 15 hits against Saint Martin's University on Friday, was led by Wang. Four others -- Kincannon, seniors BRETT BIELEC (Port Orchard/North Mason HS), DAVID LEID (Carson City, Nev./Carson HS), and GLEN RESER (Spokane/Mead HS) -- had two hits each.

Bo Folkinga and Griff Boyd had two hits each for Western Oregon, with Folkinga driving in two runs.

Against Lewis-Clark State, the Wildcat bats did not have the same offensive fortunes, as they managed just four hits -- all singles -- against two Warrior pitchers.

The Wildcats fell behind 2-0 after the first two innings, and trailed 6-1 after four complete frames. Ryerson drove in Central Washington's only run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, scoring freshman KASEY BIELEC (Port Orchard/North Mason HS).

Lewis-Clark State (8-2), the perennial NAIA power who was ranked 11th in the NAIA pre-season poll, managed 12 hits against Central Washington senior KYLE LONG (Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway HS) in 5 2/3 innings of work. Two relief pitchers -- senior RYAN HASTINGS (Lynden) and junior KYLE CRUZEN (Richland/Hanford HS) -- held the Warriors hitless over the final 2 1/3 innings, but the CWU offense was unable to get more than a single base runner in any of its final three innings at the plate.

Collecting hits for the Wildcats in the game versus LCSC were Leid, BRETT BIELEC, sophomore ETHAN STERKEL (Ellensburg), and sophomore TREVOR SWARTZ (Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway HS).

Leadoff hitter Jordan Payne went 3 for 4 with three runs scored for Lewis-Clark State, which won its 10th consecutive series meeting over CWU.