ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 18) – James Smith III hit a three-run blast in game four, guiding the Central Washington University baseball team (13-9, 8-4) to a day two split over Western Oregon University (9-10, 9-3) in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with scores of 9-0 and 7-2.
"We needed to get game four," CWU Head Coach
Desi Storey said. "We executed well and guys stepped up when we needed to produce. Seth [Pedersen] did a great job for us in game four on the mound. We battled and made things happen when we needed to."
Mackenzie Gaul got the start in game one for the Wildcats. The lefty allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits and two walks, with four strikeouts over five innings.
Meanwhile, Jacob Fricke held the Wildcats scoreless for Western Oregon. Fricke went seven innings and allowed just five hits and one walk. He struck out seven hitters.
Smith finished the opening game 3-for-4.
Justin Hampson added a pair of hits, while
Ty Deckwa and
Dustin Braun each collected one.
The Wolves scored a pair of runs in the first inning, staking out an early 2-0 lead. They scored one run in both the second and third innings, before tallying twice in the fourth. In the sixth, they expanded their advantage to 7-0. The ninth inning saw two more runs score for the Wolves, taking a 9-0 win.
Seth Pedersen hurled a complete game to close the series. The right-hander allowed two runs, on five hits, with two walks, and seven strikeouts.
Smith kept his bat going, driving in three runs with one swing of the bat.
Mitch Lesmeister, Triston Parton,
Christopher Dalto, and Braun each collected an RBI.
The Wildcats' bats went to work early in the final game. A double from Parton brought home
Justin Hampson, giving Central a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, Smith took an 0-1 pitch to the opposite field for a three-run big fly and a 4-0 lead.
The Wolves got a pair of runs back in the top of the fourth, RBIs from Dalto and Lesmesiter in the bottom of the frame reinstated the Wildcats' four-run advantage. The Wildcats added one final run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Braun.
Central Washington is back in action on Saturday (Mar. 24) as the Wildcats begin a GNAC series against Saint Martin's University. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
