ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Apr. 15) – The Central Washington University (20-18, 15-13 GNAC) baseball team split its Great Northwest Athletic Conference rain-soaked doubleheader with Saint Martin's University (8-28, 7-21) by scores of 11-2 and 8-7.
"We played really well in game one," CWU Head Coach
Desi Storey said. "Mack [Gaul] and JJ [Asinas] pitched well and held Saint Martin's offense. We hit the ball well and produced when we need to. In game two we played six good innings. Seth [Pedersen] had a great outing. We just didn't throw strikes for one inning."
JJ Asinas (2-1) got the win in relief, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, and he struck out three hitters.
Mackenzie Gaul got the start and allowed just three hits over 4.1 innings.
Garrison Ritter (0-1) was charged with the loss. In four innings of work, Ritter allowed six runs on seven hits, two walks, and struck out three.
Robert Ball led the Wildcats with three runs batted in and a pair of hits.
Justin Hampson,
Tristin Parton, and
Michael Heinevetter each drove in a pair of runs.
The Wildcats put together a five-run first inning, starting when Parton singled through the right side to score Hampson. Heinevetter then drew a bases loaded walk for a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch allowed everyone to move up 90 feet, including
Dustin Braun charging in from third. Ball then drove a single back up the middle, scoring both Heinevetter and Parton.
In the second inning, Parton wore a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 6-0 CWU.
All was quiet until the seventh inning, when Heinevetter laced a single to left to score
James Smith III.
The Saints drove in their first run in the bottom of the seventh, advancing the score to 7-1.
In the top of the ninth, the Wildcats pushed across four more runs. The scoring started when Ball singled to score Parton.
Michael Peter then reached on an error, scoring Dalto. Hampson capped the scoring with a two-run double, giving Central an 11-1 lead.
A solo homerun from Austin Feist made it 11-2, but Asinas finished the job for the victory.
In game two, the Saints walked off in the bottom of the seventh.
Seth Pedersen cruised for six innings, allowing just three runs on six hits. He struck out 10 hitters, including six of the first seven outs.
The Wildcats gave Pedersen a 3-0 cushion in the first inning. Smith roped an RBI double down the left field line, before
Jaden Hassell did the same, this time driving in a pair.
The Saints got all three back in the fourth thanks to a fielder's choice and a single from Ryne Oshiro.
With runners on the corners in the top of the fifth, a throwing error allowed Hassel to score for a 4-3 lead. Ball then doubled home Dalto, before he scored later in the inning on a wild pitch for a 6-3 lead.
Peter added another run in the seventh after running for Hassell. He came around to score on a wild pitch, giving CWU a 7-3 lead.
It came unraveled in the bottom of the seventh. After back-to-back walks to start the inning, a ground ball to short was booted, loading the bases. Adam Eskil blistered a double into left center field, scoring a pair, and bringing the Saints within two.
The Wildcats dipped into the bullpen again.
Dom Baker struck out Jake Leonard looking with runners on second and third. Steven Sordahl was then issued an intentional walk to load the bases.
Ryan Colvin stepped in as a pinch hitter and took a 3-2 offering down the right field line for a pair of RBIs and tying the game at 7-7. With runners on the corners, Micah McNicoll hit a deep fly to straight away center field, driving in Sordahl from third and an 8-7 victory.
The Wildcats are back in action on Friday (Apr. 20) as they start their four-game series against Northwest Nazarene. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
