ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Feb. 11) – The Central Washington University baseball team (0-3) fell to Stanislaus State University, 7-5, in their final game of their California swing.
 
James Brooks got the call on the mound for the Wildcats, while Kevin Hahn was tabbed for the Warriors.
 
Brooks was lifted after just 3.2 innings. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, two walks, and one strikeout. 
 
The bats were quiet through the first two innings.  The Wildcats loaded the bases in the third inning with nobody out.  Hahn rolled a double play up the middle, but Robert Ball came in from third for a 1-0 Central Washington lead.
 
Mitch Lesmeister strode to the plate with two outs and Colton Bunt on third, knocking a single through the left side for a 2-0 advantage.
 
Stanislaus State tied the game in their half of the third inning on a two-run single into left field.  The Warriors took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.  A single to center field brought home Nathan Gutierrez.  Central turned to its bullpen down a run, bringing on Hunter French (0-1) for his debut.
 
The Wildcats levelled the score in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Justin Hampson.  The Warriors responded in kind, driving in a trio of runs in the bottom half.  A lead-off double for Stanislaus was followed by a Matt Elser single, driving home Grant Bunker.  Elser then came around to score on a triple to right field from Jack Large.  Alexis Paz concluded the scoring with an RBI-groundout for a 6-3 lead.
 
"We swung the bats fairly well," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said.  "We were able to bring some guys around.  Still need to be more efficient on the mound, get deeper into the ball game."
 
Central Washington plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning.  Jon Pinto singled home Yi-an Pan, before Bunt sliced a single through the right side to score Jaden Hassell.
 
A sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the seventh gave the Warriors an insurance run as they held on 7-5.
 
The Crimson and Black are back in action on Saturday (Feb. 16) for a doubleheader against Corban University in Salem, Ore.  First pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m.