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HAYWARD, Calif. (Feb. 4) -- Juniors Ethan Sterkel (Ellensburg) and Sam Williams (Seattle/Bishop Blanchet HS) had RBI singles in the top of the first inning, but the Central Washington University baseball team managed just two hits over the final eight innings in a 5-2 loss to California State University East Bay on Monday afternoon at Pioneer Field.

CWU fell to 0-2 on the young season with the loss, with its first defeat (5-4) coming in the bottom of the ninth inning to the Pioneers on Sunday. CSUEB used a five-run fourth inning to overcome its early deficit and rally past the Wildcats.

Junior Joe Castro (Union City, Calif./James Logan HS) led off the game with a triple and came home two batters later on a single by Sterkel -- his first hit of the campaign. After a foul out and a walk, Williams then laced a single up the middle to score Sterkel and give CWU a 2-0 edge.

Junior pitcher Stuart Fewel (Portland, Ore./Wilson HS) allowed just two base runners over the first two innings -- without the benefit of a CSUEB hit -- and escaped the third inning unscathed despite allowing a pair of base runners. A caught stealing and a double play in the third maintained the shutout for the time being.

In the fourth, the Pioneers got a pair of runners on base to start the inning, but Fewel nearly escaped again after a fly out and a groundout. However, the hosts picked up consecutive RBI singles to chase Fewel from the game, and reliever Ty Druffel (Jr., Pullman) walked the first hitter he faced. Then, Andrew Rodriguez cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field, extending the Pioneers' lead to 5-2.

Senior Jason Lotzer (Lynnwood) and sophomore Max Dickinson (Hoquiam) held Cal State East Bay scoreless over the final 4 1/3 innings, limiting them to just two hits. Lotzer struck out four in his 3 2/3 innings of relief work. However, the CWU offense was unable to muster much against the pitching trio of Michael Pope, Sean Becker, and closer Charlie Sharrer, as the only hits after the two-run first inning for the Wildcats were singles by senior Marc Garza (Othello) in the fourth against Pope and by sophomore pinch-hitter Mike Davalos (Apache Junction, Ariz.) in the eighth against Becker. Sharrer retired the side in order in the top of the ninth, striking out two, to earn the save.

CWU had just five hits in the game and has been outhit 22-11 through two contests in the series.

The Wildcats and Pioneers will play game three of their series on Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m., with senior right-hander Tyler Roberts (Kennewick/Southridge HS) expected to toe the rubber for CWU.