BILLINGS, Mont. (May 6) – The Central Washington University baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against Montana State University Billings by scores of 6-5 and 5-4.
 
The Wildcats are now 29-21 overall and 23-17 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  The Yellowjackets improve to 23-27 overall and 21-19 in GNAC play.
 
"It's not the way we want to end the season," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said. "But now we start looking ahead at the tournament.  We've accomplished a lot this season and have battled all year.  The tournament will be a battle and we are looking forward to it."
 
A late rally in game one was not enough for Central Washington, as Billings walked-off with a single from Zach Robinson in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Dylan Freyre opened the scoring, driving home Kyle Stahl with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.  The Yellowjackets responded immediately with a sacrifice fly of their own.
 
A Brice McCulloch single in the second allowed James Smith III to be waved home for a 2-1 lead in the second. 
 
The bats were quiet until the sixth.  Conner Linebarger singled into left field, driving home a run, and leveling the game at 2-2.
 
Billings put up a crooked number in the seventh, plating three runs for a 5-2 advantage.
 
A wild pitch in the eighth inning allowed Conor Plaisance to score, cutting the deficit to 5-3.  Freyre came through again, singling home Michael Heinevetter, and slimming Billings' lead to 5-4.
 
A throwing error in the ninth allowed Plaisance to reach and allowed Yi-an Pan to tie the game at 5-5.
 
Despite the rally, the Wildcats fell in the ninth.  Seth Pedersen (2-1) was charged with the loss.  He worked 2.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits.  He struck out two.
 
A four-run third inning was not enough for Central Washington in the back end of the twin-bill.
 
The Yellowjackets plated a pair in the first, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead.  Central struck back two innings later.
 
With Christopher Dalto on third, Jarod Paul balked and Dalto jogged 90 feet forward for the Wildcats' first run.  Smith then blasted a three-run shot a few batters later, grabbing a 4-2 lead.
 
A two-run homerun from Billings tied the game at 4-4 in the sixth.  Linebarger struck again, driving in the winning run with a single to center later in the inning.
 
Michael Gahan nailed down the save in the seventh.  Micah Richardson (0-2) was charged with the loss.
 
The Wildcats have concluded the regular season and will take part in the GNAC tournament next week in Portland, Oregon.