Baseball | 3/17/2016 1:56:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 17) – It may be early in the season, but the Central Washington University baseball team is atop the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a 5-1 GNAC record.
 
Last weekend the Wildcats recorded two wins over Concordia University in a rain-shortened weekend.  The series initially scheduled to be played in Portland, Oregon was moved to Ellensburg due to weather.  Rain still found a way to muddle the series, forcing Sunday's games to be postponed. The Wildcats will play a six-game series in Portland later this season.
 
Central remains home this weekend, taking on Saint Martin's University in a four-game series.
 
The Saints are off to a slow start this year, compiling a 5-11 record.  Away from home Saint Martin's is 1-8.  In conference, SMU is 2-4.
 
The Saints offense has been stout, posting a .273 average.  All but one regular position player for SMU is hitting about .250.  Shayne Kurthara leads the Saints with a .387 average.  Alec Hagerman follows behind at .368.
 
Saint Martin's has hit nine balls over the fence and driven in 81 runs.  On the base paths, the Saints have swiped 13 bags on 19 attempts.
 
The Saints' pitching staff has been less than stellar to start the season. Their staff has posted an earned run average of 9.05 through 16 games.  Opposing hitters have hit a clip of .367 with 21 home runs.
 
Of Saint Martin's three regular starters, none have an ERA below 5.00.  Josh Sontag is the closest, posting a 5.24 ERA in four starts over 22.1 innings.  Mickey Walker has gone 1-1 in six games, four starts, with an ERA of 6.11.  In five starts Torin Dooley is 2-2 with a 7.12 ERA.
 
The Saint's bullpen hasn't fared much better.  No SMU reliever has an ERA below 10.  Aaron Schoup is at 9.92, but two of his four appearances have been starts.
 
The Wildcats' hitters had a field day last weekend, belting three home runs in two games.  Jonathan Dailey was 5-for-6 with two triples on Saturday.
 
Reid Martinez leads the Wildcats with a .355 average, including earning GNAC Player of the Week honors two weeks ago.  Martinez has continued to stay hot at the dish for Central.  The left field has 11 runs batted in, three doubles, and one triple.
 
Jake Levin leads the Wildcats in home runs, with three, all coming in a single game against Corban University.  The pitcher and first basebman is hitting .324 on the year.
 
The Wildcats have posted a .279 average collectively, with nine home runs, six triples, and an on-base percentage of .343.
 
On the mound MaCkenzie Gual has a 1-1 record through five starts.  His 2.79 ERA is second only to fellow starter Mitch Yada (2.70).  Al four members of the Wildcats' rotation have ERAs below 4.00.  Justin Adams has thrown the lone complete game for Central this season.
 
Closing out games has been CJ Gettman's job so far this season.  The hard-throwing right hander has recorded three saves in five appearances.  Opposing hitters are struggling to find success, hitting just .143.
 
The confines of the CWU Baseball Field have been friendly to the Wildcats.  Central has lost only one game at home this season.
 
First pitch is scheduled for noon on Saturday and Sunday.