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

ELLENSBURG (Mar. 4) – Central Washington University seniors BRADY KINCANNON (Federal Way/Decatur HS) and DERRICK WEBB (Ephrata) each collected five hits in two games as the Wildcats swept Whitworth University by scores of 10-7 and 9-7 on Sunday afternoon at the CWU Baseball Field.

Central Washington improved to 4-8 on the season and Whitworth fell to 6-5-1.

As a team the Wildcats totaled 29 hits on the day, 13 of which were for extra bases, with Kincannon providing four including three doubles in game one.

Senior left-handed pitchers BRANDON ROHDE (Gig Harbor) and RYAN HASTINGS (Lynden) were each credited with a win, as Rohde (2-1) started game one and threw six innings, giving up four unearned runs while striking out six batters. Hastings (1-1) pitched three innings of relief for the Wildcats in game two and surrendered just one run while scattering four hits and striking out three Pirates.

Whitworth scored four runs in the second inning of game one to take a 4-0 lead. Two innings later, the Wildcat offense erupted to score five runs and take a 5-4 lead. Juniors KYLE SANI (Kennewick/Southridge HS) and JIMMY RYERSON (Seattle/Roosevelt HS) both recorded RBI doubles in the inning, while senior BRANDON WANG (Mill Creek/Jackson HS) drove in two runs on a double to right field that scored Ryerson and junior CHRIS HASHIMOTO (Kirkland/Lake Washington HS). Kincannon also had a sacrifice fly in the frame.

Central Washington followed by adding three more runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by a leadoff triple by Webb, who was driven home by Sani.

Whitworth cut the Wildcat advantage to 8-7 after scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning, but the Wildcats scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Central Washington reliever JASON LOTZER (Lynnwood) shut down the Pirate offense in the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits and earning his first save of the season as the Wildcats held on for the 10-7 victory.

The Wildcats started off game two by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, picking up five hits with Kincannon, senior GLEN RESER (Spokane/Mead HS), sophomore ETHAN STERKEL (Ellensburg) and sophomore TREVOR SWARTZ (Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway HS) each driving in a run on base hits in the inning.

CWU scored single runs in the third and fourth innings on a RBI triple by Kincannon and a RBI double by Webb, respectively, to take a 6-1 lead. Whitworth tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth inning, aided by two Wildcat errors that led to five unearned runs including a two-out grand slam by Pirate second baseman Nick Motsinger.

Central Washington answered by scoring a single run in the sixth inning to take a 7-6 advantage. Senior DAVID LEID (Carson City, Nev./Carson HS) led the inning off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryerson. CWU upped its lead to 9-6, scoring twice in the seventh inning on a two-RBI double by Leid, plating Sterkel and Kincannon.

The Pirates scored once in the ninth before CWU junior pitcher RANDY BUTTON (Allyn/North Mason HS) earned his first save of the season, retiring the only batter he faced to secure the 9-7 victory in game two.

Webb finished the day 5 for 9 with one RBI and three runs scored, while Kincannon was 5 for 8 with three RBI and four runs scored. Leid and Sani both accumulated four safeties on the day, while senior BRETT BIELEC (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) and Ryerson each finished with three.

Motsinger led the Pirates with six hits, driving in five runs. Leadoff hitter Gerhard Meulheims also had five RBI, as the two batters were responsible for 10 of the Pirates' 14 runs scored on the day.

The Wildcats will next open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play as they host Saint Martin's University on Saturday (Mar. 17) at 1 p.m.