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ELLENSBURG (May 3) -- Senior Kyle Sani (Kennewick/Southridge HS) hit a three-run home run as part of a five-run fourth inning in game two, helping the Central Washington University baseball team to a 5-4 win over visiting Western Oregon University on Friday afternoon. WOU held off CWU, 9-7, in the opening game of the doubleheader.

The Wildcats secured a second-place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings, regardless of what happens between CWU and Western Oregon in Saturday's regular-season finales. CWU is 28-20 overall and 19-11 in GNAC play, three games behind the Wolves (22-8 GNAC, 29-19 overall).

GAME ONE: Western Oregon 9, CWU 7
Three early errors and five runs (three earned) in the top of the third inning put CWU in an early 6-0 hole, but the Wildcats had the potential game-winning run on first base in the bottom of the ninth inning of their 9-7 opening-game defeat.

Western Oregon scored a single run in the first and five runs in the third to take the lead, and then made it 7-0 with another tally in the sixth. With a scoring cushion in place, Wolves ace Spenser Watkins was in total control on the mound, striking out 14 hitters -- one shy of the GNAC single-game record -- and walking just one in 7 1/3 innings of work. He left the game after 138 pitches and with two runners on base in the eighth -- both of whom came home to score on RBI hits by CWU outfielders Kramer Ferrell (Fr., Ellensburg) and Jimmy Ryerson (Sr., Seattle/Roosevelt HS).

The Wolves got those two runs back in the top of the ninth inning on a RBI double by Blake Miller and a run-scoring single by Tim Rausch.

CWU rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Wolves' bullpen. The first two runners reached base on a walk and hit by pitch, and were moved to third on a groundout. A four-pitch walk to sophomore Kasey Bielec (Port Orchard/North Mason HS) loaded the bases, and Sani then walked in a run. An infield single by junior Eddie Malone (Queen Creek, Ariz.) brought home another run, and two batters later, with two out, Ryerson coaxed the first of three consecutive bases-loaded walks that made it a two-run contest with the tying run on second. However, a full-count strikeout prevented the Wildcats from completing the comeback in the final frame.

Each team registered double-digit totals in hits, with WOU finishing with a 12-10 advantage. Daniel McNabb, who hit his first home run of the season for Western Oregon, finished with the lone three-hit game in the opener. CWU was led by Sani and senior Justin Peterson (Tacoma/Life Christian Academy) with two hits apiece, while Ryerson drove in two.

GAME TWO: CWU 5, Western Oregon 4
Back-to-back infield singles, followed by an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, opened the door for CWU to score five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning en route to its 5-4 victory in game two.

Ryerson and senior Daniel Kathman (Roy/Eatonville HS) reached on successive singles before a bunt by Peterson was bobbled to load the bases with nobody out. A fielder's choice on a squeeze bunt retired Ryerson at the plate, but Kathman came home to score on a sacrifice fly by junior Joel Johnson (Olympia), which at the time made it a 3-1 score. Junior #J.V. Estella# (Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck HS) followed with a two-out RBI single, setting the stage for Sani to belt a three-run home run to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch. The blast was his 18th of the season, breaking the previous school and conference records for home runs (both were set previously by Brian Viafore in 2003). Sani also took over the GNAC lead in runs batted in with the homer.

WOU scored single runs in the first, third, and fourth against junior left-hander Skye Adams (Vancouver/Columbia River HS), who was making just his second start after missing almost a month due to injury. The Wolves scored their first three runs on a groundout in the first inning, a solo home run by Scott David in the third, and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. They then made it a one-run deficit on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.

CWU had just one base runner over its final two innings at the plate, and Adams avoided some minor challenges over that same span. WOU had a one-out double in the sixth but Adams induced a pair of outs to avoid that jam, and then a double play and a game-ending pickoff in the seventh sealed the victory for the Wildcats.

CWU finished with seven hits in game two, led by a 2 for 3 outing from Bielec, who made his second start of the season at third base. WOU totaled eight hits, including two each from corner outfielders Chris Bradshaw and Matt Nylen. Each team committed two errors.

The series wraps up on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon. CWU will recognize its seniors prior to the opening game, and retiring athletic director Jack Bishop will throw out the ceremonial first pitch as well.

The GNAC Tournament will be held next Thursday and Friday (May 9-10) in Monmouth, Ore.