Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho (May 11) -- Senior BRANDON ROHDE (Gig Harbor) posted the highest single-game strikeout total by a Central Washington University pitcher in seven years, and the Wildcat bats provided enough offense for Rohde and four game-one pitchers as CWU swept host Northwest Nazarene University, 10-8 and 4-0, on Friday evening at Vail Field.

The wins enabled Central Washington (19-29, 11-19 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) to complete its first doubleheader sweep since Apr. 14 and its first 2-0 twinbill in conference play since Mar. 18. Northwest Nazarene, which sits second in the GNAC standings, fell to 25-22 overall and 14-16 in the conference.

Rohde, who made his final collegiate pitching appearance on Friday night, posted his second straight double-digit strikeout performance. Six days removed from a then-career-high 13 strikeouts and a two-hitter against Montana State University Billings, the left-hander earned a complete-game shutout while striking out 15 hitters. That K total was the highest by a CWU pitcher since Gordon Chubb fanned 15 hitters in a nine-inning game against Saint Martin's on Apr. 17, 2005.

The Wildcat offense scored four runs on Rohde's behalf, with single tallies in the second and seventh innings and a two-run fifth inning sandwiched in between. Senior DAVID LEID (Carson City, Nev./Carson HS) brought home senior BRADY KINCANNON (Federal Way) with a sacrifice fly for the game's first run after Kincannon had hit a one-out triple.

Another senior, third baseman GLEN RESER (Spokane/Mead HS), led off the two-run fifth with a solo home run -- his fourth of the year -- and the Wildcats added their next run on an error on a two-out stolen base situation later in the inning. CWU added one final insurance tally in the seventh when senior DERRICK WEBB (Ephrata) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Rohde, who threw 141 pitches (90 for strikes), was able to maintain the shutout despite allowing eight hits -- all singles. Northwest Nazarene had two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the seventh after a single and a two-base error -- Central Washington's lone defensive miscue of the doubleheader -- but Rohde proceeded to strike out the next three hitters he faced to keep the Crusaders scoreless.

Offensively, CWU was outhit by Northwest Nazarene in game two, 8-6. Kincannon went 2 for 2, while four other Wildcats had one hit apiece.

In the opener, Central Washington overcame an early 2-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth and three each in the sixth and seventh, and the Wildcats then staved off a late-game rally by Northwest Nazarene to earn the 10-8 victory.

Junior RANDY BUTTON (Allyn/North Mason HS) had a decent start, allowing three runs and scattering eight hits over six innings of work. Junior TANNER KNUTSON (Deer Park) earned his first save as a Wildcat after inheriting a two-run lead with one out in the ninth and not allowing a run to score.

Kincannon opened the Wildcats' scoring in the fourth with a RBI single, and he came around to score when junior BRETT GRAY (Ephrata) hit his first career home run -- a three-run shot -- to give CWU a 4-2 lead. That margin was pushed to 7-2 after 5 1/2 innings as the Wildcats scored three times in the sixth, including two tallies on a single by junior KYLE SANI (Kennewick/Southridge HS). Two of the three runs in the seventh were unearned as Northwest Nazarene committed three of its six errors in the frame.

Each team finished with 13 hits in the opener. Webb and Sani had three hits apiece, in four and six official at-bats, respectively, with Sani and Gray driving in three runs each. Webb, Gray, and sophomore ETHAN STERKEL (Ellensburg) each scored a pair of runs.

Jamie Mitchell went 3 for 5 for NNU, hitting his first two home runs of the season and driving in four. The Crusaders hit a total of four home runs in the game, with all but one of their runs scoring on round-trippers.

The two teams wrap up the 2012 season on Saturday with another doubleheader beginning at noon Mountain Daylight Time (11 a.m. Pacific) at Vail Field.