SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Feb. 25) – The Central Washington University baseball team swept its doubleheader against the Academy of Art University.
 
The Wildcats are now 5-3, while the Urban Knights fall to 2-8.
 
Dylan Freyre doubled home Kyle Stahl in the first inning of game one, giving the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead.  James Smith III later grounded to short, allowing Freyre to come home for a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the fourth inning, Sam Welton's sacrifice fly brought home Conor Plasicance for a 3-0 lead.
 
The Urban Knights mounted a comeback, however, pushing across one run in the fourth and two in the seventh.  Kyle Thompson came on in the seventh with one out and halted the Urban Knights offense. 
 
Thompson hurled 2.2 innings of shutout relief, earning the win after Smith belted a solo shot in the top of the 10^th.
 
"Jimmy got a hold of one, he crushed it," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "They have a net above the wall that's 30 or 40 feet up and he hit that.  It might not be as far as the one he hit at East Bay, but he crushed it."
 
In the bottom of the ninth Michael Heinevetter threw out the would-be winning run at the plate, allowing extra innings.
 
"Thomps did a great job in a tied situation," Storey added.  "Heinevetter threw a guy out in the ninth to keep it tied, so that was huge."
 
Kyle Blankenship came on in the ninth and slammed the door, earning the save.
 
Jake Levin got the start and went 6.1 innings, allowing just six hits.  He struck out a pair.  Freyre, Plaisance, Dustin Braun, and Rory Graf-Brennen each notched a double.  Welton swiped one bag.
 
In game two, Mackenzie Gaul hurled a four hit shutout.  The lefty struck out nine hitters for his first win of the year.
 
The Wildcats got their offense going in the second inning, when Brice McCulloch hit a sac fly to drive in Levin.
 
Smith singled home Stahl in the third, giving Central a 2-0 lead.
 
Freshman catcher Jesse Unger drove in Braun in the fifth inning with a single through the left side, extending the Wildcats' lead to 3-0.  The final run came in the seventh inning, when Braun smashed a solo shot to left center.
 
The Wildcats compiled eight hits en route to the 4-0 shutout.
 
Central Washington is back in action against the Academy of Art in a doubleheader at noon.