Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 22) – Central Washington University pitcher Brandon Williams (Auburn, WA, Auburn Mountainview) struck out double-digit batters for the second consecutive league game helping the baseball team earn a split with Montana State Billings University Saturday afternoon at the CWU Baseball Field.  Central Washington lost game one 8-2, and won by the same score in the nightcap.

The Wildcats now sit with a 9-10 record, with a 4-6 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.  The Yellowjackets are 5-17, also 4-6 in the GNAC.

Williams (4-1) had another stellar outing for the Wildcats on the mound in game two pitching six innings and striking out 10 batters while walking just one.  In his last two GNAC starts Williams has accumulated 25 strikeouts.

The CWU offense gave Williams some run support early scoring one run in the first and second innings and two more in the third.  The Wildcats added three insurance runs in the bottom of the third inning to give the Wildcats the final 8-2 advantage.

Ethan Sterkel (Ellensburg, WA, Ellensburg) provided two of the runs for CWU as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI.  Both of his RBI's came in the three run sixth inning as he singled to right center field scoring Kasey Bielec (Port Orchard, WA, North Mason) and Cory Welch (Las Vegas, NV, Bishop Gorman).

Bielec also had a productive day in game tow, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored.

Central Washington got a solid outing from Skye Adams (Vancouver, WA, Columbia River) in game one, but was unable to keep pace with the Yellowjackets who outhit the Wildcats 11-7.

Adams threw six and two-thirds innings allowing seven hits three runs – two earned – while striking out six batters.

The combination of untimely hitting and subpar relief pitching resulted in the loss for the Wildcats.  CWU stranded nine batters in the contest and three Wildcat relievers combined to throw two and two-thirds innings surrendering five runs and three walks.

Six different batters recorded singles in the opener with Eric Tinnell (Ephrata, WA, Ephrata) going 2-for-5 with a run scoring double in the third inning that scored Jaykob Sells (Mountlake Terrace, WA, Mountlake Terrace).  The Wildcats only other run came off a throwing error by MSUB.

Brody Miller and Kevin Toon provided most of the offense for MSUB in game one as they both were 3-for-4 from the plate with Miller hitting a long three-run homerun in the eighth inning to help secure the victory for the visitors.

The two teams will finish their four game series tomorrow at Noon.