Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. (Mar. 31) -- Junior outfielder JIMMY RYERSON (Seattle/Roosevelt HS) had a career day, collecting five hits, two home runs, and seven RBI, powering the Central Washington University baseball team to a 15-12 victory in game one, but the Wildcats lost game two, 6-5, on a walk-off double at Dehler Park.

With the split, Central Washington is now with a 10-14 record and is 6-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. The Yellowjackets, who won the four-game weekend series three games to one, are now 11-11 and 4-6 in the GNAC.

Coming into the day, Ryerson's career-high for RBI in a game was three. He doubled that previous high in game one, driving in six runs on three hits including a three-run home run. He now leads the club with four round trippers on the season.

Central Washington jumped out to a 9-2 lead after four innings in game one en route to its three-run victory. CWU scored three runs in the second inning on a home run by senior DAVID LEID (Carson City, Nev./Carson HS), which scored junior KYLE SANI (Kennewick/Southridge HS) and senior BRADY KINCANNON (Federal Way/Decatur HS), who both reached base on singles.

The Wildcats' bats came alive again in the fourth inning, collecting five hits and six runs. Leid and Ryerson each had RBI singles in the inning, and senior DERRICK WEBB (Ephrata) doubled to right center to drive in a pair of runs. Ryerson added two more runs in the fifth inning on a double, scoring Kincannon and sophomore ETHAN STERKEL (Ellensburg) to give the Wildcats an 11-2 advantage.

After MSUB added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, CWU answered by adding four more tallies in the top of the seventh. Ryerson again produced with runners on base, blasting his team-leading third home run of the season to center field, scoring Sterkel and Leid and helping Central Washington to a commanding 15-4 lead.

Montana State Billings made things interesting by piecing together a combined 10 hits and eight runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but the 11-run lead proved to be insurmountable for Yellowjackets.

CWU starting pitcher JASON LOTZER (Lynnwood) threw 7 1/3 innings giving up six hits and six runs while striking out four batters and walking five, picking up his second win of the season (2-1).

Ryerson was 3 for 5 in game one with his six RBI. Leid also had a productive game at the plate, going 3 for 4 with his homer and four RBI, while Kincannon set the table for Leid and Ryerson by collecting three hits and four runs scored in the contest.

In the series finale, Central Washington rallied from a 4-1 deficit, scoring four runs in the top of the fifth inning, but MSUB designated hitter Jordan Carlson drove in two runs on a double in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Wildcats 6-5. Ryerson got the Wildcats on the board in the third inning with his second homer of the day. CWU then collected five hits in the fifth inning, with senior BRETT BIELEC (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) scoring Ryerson on a RBI triple, followed by a run-scoring single by senior BRANDON WANG (Mill Creek/Jackson HS) and RBI doubles by Webb and Kincannon.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the first two Yellowjacket hitters singled and MSUB loaded the bases after a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk. Carlson then hit the second pitch of his at-bat into the left-center field gap to score the two lead runners and end the game.

Senior left-hander RYAN HASTINGS (Lynden) pitched the entire game for the Wildcats, surrendering 11 hits and six runs -- five earned -- with three strikeouts and just as many walks to fall to 1-2 on the season.

Ryerson and Kincannon both collected another multi-hit game, as both players were 2 for 3 with a RBI.

Carlson collected three hits and drove in two runs in each game for the Yellowjackets, and teammate Matt Comer has five hits on the day and had six RBI. Comer hit a pair of home runs in game two.

Up next for Central Washington is a four-game series with Northwest Nazarene University in Ellensburg, starting with a doubleheader on Friday (Apr. 6) at 1 p.m.