Baseball | 4/14/2016 2:22:00 PM

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Apr. 14) – After a bounce back weekend in Billings, the Central Washington University baseball team heads to Portland, Oregon for a six-game series against Concordia University.
 
"We have to grind," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "We can't save anyone for games five and six when you need game one.  So we just need to grind it out."
 
The Wildcats took three games from Montana State Billings last weekend, helping vault the Wildcats back into contention in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
Central will be in Portland Friday through Sunday, thanks to rain in March.  The Wildcats took both games on March 12, but March 13's contests were rained out and pushed to this weekend.
 
In last weekend's series, Darren Honeysett earned GNAC Player of the Week and NCBWA West Region Hitter of the Week honors, blasting three home runs with seven runs batted in.  The right fielder hit .466 (7-for-15).
 
"Darren has found his swing again nicely," Storey noted.  "He's found his rhythm and isn't trying to do too much at the plate."
 
The Cavaliers have dropped their last six games, including being swept by Western Oregon University. 
 
Christian Heideger leads the Cavaliers with a .343 average, but among every day starters, Gerhett Moser has posted a team high .311 average.  Concordia has only hit five home runs as a team, with five different players going yard.
 
Collectively, they are hitting .240 as a unit with 102 runs batted in.  Of Concordia's 235 hits, just 46 have been extra base hits.  The Cavaliers have not been overly active on the base path, swiping just 18 bases on 24 attempts.
 
The 10-22 Cavaliers, 8-14 in GNAC, have a team earned run average of 5.34.  Austin Hadley has posted a 4-1 record in seven appearances and five starts.  He has hurled 35.1 innings, striking out 41 hitters, and holding opposing hitters to a .209 average against.
 
Harrison McGhee has made eight starts.  In 39.1 innings McGhee has an earned run average of 2.97 with 47 strikeouts, a 2-2 record, and is holding opposing hitters to a .227 average.
 
Hadley and McGhee are the only two pitchers on Concordia's staff with an earned run average below 4.00.
 
Justin Adams and Ryan Atkinson lead the Wildcats offensively, with batting averages of .368 and .366 respectively.  With his three home runs, Honeysett is now in the driver's seat for the team high with four.  Atkinson leads Central in stolen bases with seven and he has not been caught once.
 
As a unit Central is hitting .301, with 22 home runs, 29 stolen bases, and an on-base percentage of .369.
 
On the mound, Mackenzie Gaul leads the way.  In 11 appearances, eight starts, Gaul has recorded a 2-3 record with an earned run average of 2.70.  He has struck out 29 hitters over 36.2 innings.
 
CJ Gettman has recorded five saves in 12 appearances.  Opposing hitters are hitting just .236 off the hard throwing right hander.

"We need some guys to go out and eat some innings," Storey said.  "Not just eat innings, but do it effectively.  It's a lot of baseball over the weekend, but I have confidence our guys can get it done."

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday.  Saturday and Sunday's games will begin at noon.