ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Apr. 20) – James Smith III and Ty Deckwa powered the Central Washington University (22-18, 17-13 GNAC) baseball team in game one, before Griffin Davis tossed a gem in game two for a pair of wins over Northwest Nazarene University (13-27, 11-19 GNAC) in day one of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference series.
 
"Our pitchers did exactly what we needed them to today," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "Both Connor [Stevenson] and Grif [Davis] gave us a chance to win and we took advantage of it.  Our defense put us behind in game one, but Connor did a good job of limiting the damage.  We swung the bats well at the plate. We played to our capabilities, it's something we need to continue doing."
 
Connor Stevenson and Tyler Hoefer combined for eight innings of work, nine hits allowed, and just of the seven runs allowed were earned.  Hoefer (4-0) earned another win in relief. 
 
Smith put the team on his back in game one, clubbing two homeruns and driving in four. 
 
After the Wildcats went down 3-0, Smith got one back in the bottom of the second.  He took the first pitch of the inning over the right field wall. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Dalto singled down the left field line to score Braun and cut the deficit to 3-2. 
 
The Nighthawks scored one run in the fifth before tacking on two more in the sixth for a 6-2 advantage. 
 
Deckwa led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and then stole second.  Braun slashed a single through the right side, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.  Smith once again stepped into the batter's box.  This time, he took a 1-0 offering over the left field wall for a three-run blast to cut the deficit to 6-5.
 
It was Braun's turn to come up clutch in the bottom of the seventh.  With two aboard, Braun singled back up the middle to score Mitch Lesmeister and tie the game at 7-7.
 
Colton Brink singled home a run in the top of the eighth to give NNU an 8-7 lead. 
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Robert Ball laid down a bunt single which scored Tristin Parton, tying the game at 8-8.  A throwing error on the play allowed Michael Heinevetter to advance to third, while Ball scampered to second.
 
After Lesmeister walked, Justin Hampson laid down a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled by the pitcher.  Heinevetter scored, while the bases remained loaded with Hampson reaching.
 
Deckwa then roped his fourth hit of the game down the right field line, plating three, and staking out an 11-7 lead for the Wildcats.  Jacob Forrester came on in the ninth inning and pitched a scoreless frame to seal the victory.
 
Griffin Davis (5-5) earned the win in game two.  He tossed six innings of two run ball.  Davis allowed just one hit and struck out seven.
 
Deckwa opened the scoring in the third with a single to right, scoring Ball in the bottom of the third. 
 
Dalto then hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 2-0 advantage.  The Nighthawks wiped the lead away with a pair of runs in the fifth. 
 
Deckwa once again came through for the Wildcats in the fifth.  He singled up the middle to score Hampson and reclaim the lead at 3-2.  A bases loaded infield single from Dalto allowed Deckwa to score, expanding the lead to 4-2.  Yi-an Pan was then hit by a pitch with the sacks full to force home another run and give the Wildcats a 5-2 advantage. 
 
The Wildcats added five more runs in the sixth for a 10-2 lead, which Davis and Dom Baker held for the remainder of the contest.
 
Central Washington will host Senior Day tomorrow (Apr. 21).  First pitch is scheduled for noon, while the 2018 senior class will be recognized at 11:40.