ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 12) – The Central Washington University baseball team took both games of its doubleheader against Concordia University.  Backed by three homeruns, the Wildcats won 8-5 and 6-2.  Central is now 8-5 on the season with a 5-1 record in Great Northwest Athletic Conference games.  The Cavaliers fall to 4-12 overall and 2-4 in GNAC games.
 
"It's like we talked about last weekend, we are getting better," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "I give props to [Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant Max Bayern], he threw batting practice yesterday and we haven't been hitting left-handed pitching well lately and he gave us a chance to hit off a lefty.  It was huge.  It's the best we have hit a lefty all year."
 
The Wildcats scattered 10 hits against Concordia starter Gerhett Moser over six innings.  They pushed across five runs against the southpaw.
 
Mackenzie Gaul got the start in game one for Central and the Cavaliers jumped to an early 1-0 lead on a single by Tanner Williams.  Concordia expanded its lead in the fourth inning on a solo homerun by Jordan Farhat.
 
Gaul went 3.2 innings and allowed just two runs on five hits.  He struck out four hitters.
 
Dylan Freyre responded in the fourth inning with a two-run laser over the left field fence, levelling the score at 2-2.
 
The Wildcats struck again in the sixth inning.  Jonathan Dailey singled to left, driving home Benjamin Dunbar.  Darren Honeysett added a double to right, scoring Dailey and taking a 5-2 lead.
 
An RBI double and a two-run homerun brought the score back to even in the eighth inning.
 
Dailey responded with a triple, driving in Reid Martinez, who pinch hit for Tanner Romo, in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Honeysett then hit an opposite field two-run homerun, giving Central an 8-5 advantage.
 
CJ Gettman set the side down in order in the ninth inning to record his third save.
 
Connor Jones notched his second win of the season with a perfect inning of relief.
 
The first three hitters in the Wildcats' lineup combined for six hits, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
 
Jake Levin cruised through five innings of shutout work in the backend of the twin bill.  He allowed just two hits and struck out six, while earning his third win of the season.
 
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first inning with a single by Justin Adams.  The single brought Ryan Atkinson in.  Central got another run in the second on a double by Dailey, scoring Ryan Malone.
 
A single by Honeysett later in the second brought Dailey around to score. 
 
Martinez hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Freyre.
 
In the fifth Malone went deep to right with a two-run shot, giving Central a commanding 6-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats cruised to a 6-2 victory in the second game with 10 hits, while allowing just four.
 
"We've been good at hitting velocity so far this year and he [Harrison McGhee] threw hard and we were able to get solid contact against him," Storey added.
 
Dailey finished the day 5-for-6 at the dish, while scoring twice, driving in a trio of runs, and hitting two triples.
 
"Great day for Jon," Storey noted of his shortstop.  "I know it's been a little frustrating for him, not getting in the lineup as much as he'd like lately.  He came up big with a couple triples."
 
Central is back in action tomorrow (Mar. 13) for two more games against Concordia.  First pitch is scheduled for noon.