SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Feb. 26) – The Central Washington University baseball team split a doubleheader with the Academy of Art University.
 
The Wildcats are now 6-4 on the year, while the Urban Knights move to 3-7.
 
Dylan Freyre opened the offense in game one, singling home Conor Plaisance in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Urban Knights put up a run in both the second and third innings, taking 2-1 advantage.  The Wildcats responded in the fifth inning.  Kyle Stahl doubled left center, driving in Jesse Unger, and tying the game at 2-2.
 
Academy of Art scored five times in the bottom of the seventh, taking a 7-2 lead. 
 
Central Washington scored once in both the eighth and ninth innings, but it was not enough.
 
"We just made too many mistakes," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "Anytime we made a mistake we gave up a run.  It ends up accounting for all the runs.  We didn't pitch terribly, though fought through some stuff.  We just couldn't make up for the mistakes."
 
Plaisance had a pair of hits and scored twice.  Jake Levin notched a pair of hits, as did Unger and Freyre.  Dillon Larsen was charged with the loss.  The left-handed freshman hurled five innings, allowing two runs, none earned, and striking out six hitters.
 
The Urban Knights got out in front in bottom of the first inning in game two.  A wild pitch allowed the first run to score, before a second run was walked in later in the inning, for a 2-0 lead.
 
Levin struck back in the top of the third.  A single through the left side brought home a pair of runs and a tie ballgame.
 
Dustin Braun later singled home James Smith III and advanced Levin to second, giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game at 3-2.  A fielder's choice allowed Levin to score on a throwing error after Braun was thrown out at second.  Levin's run gave the Wildcats a 4-2 lead.
 
The only other offense came in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homerun from the Urban Knights.
 
Plaisance, Freyre, and Levin each notched a pair of hits.  Levin drove in a pair.  Seth Pedersen got the win.  The righty went 4.2 innings, allowed three hits, three runs, one earned, and struck out four batters.  Christopher Dalto notched the save, getting Academy in order in the ninth.
 
"After he got past the first inning he was able to settle down and do a good job," Storey said of Pederson.  "We got just enough offense to grab the lead and they held up for us."
 
Central Washington is scheduled to play Saint Martin's next weekend in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener on Friday and Saturday, however both days are weather pending.