KENTFIELD, Calif. – The Central Washington University baseball team split day one of its series with Academy of Art University. CWU fell 8-2 in game one before earning comeback win, 5-4, in game two.
 
It was a tale of two games for the Wildcats (1-4). They managed just two hits in game one and had three errors to fall by six in the series opener. Academy of Art (1-1) also had three errors in the first outing but scored eight runs and had nine hits.

"We got better as the day went on," CWU Head Coach Desi Storey said. "Our guys completed really well as far as not giving in regardless of the score." 
 
Game two saw the bats come to life for Central as they had five runs scored on 11 hits and the defense played a clean game with no errors. The Urban Knights managed to tack on four runs to make it a close contest but had just five hits and committed one error.
 
Game One: Academy of Art 8, Central Washington 2
The Wildcats had opportunities in the series opener to score but left a number of runners stranded. After a quick outing in the first by both squads, CWU threatened to score in the second but came up empty.
 
Jake Tilley was hit by pitch to get on and Jake Engel followed him up with a double to get the duo in scoring position with one out. The Urban Knights left both stranded with the help a strikeout looking a line out to center.
 
The bottom of the second is where Academy of Art did the most damage. Four of the eight runs scored came in this frame thanks to four hits and the help of two central errors. All four hits came after CWU got one out and led to a pair of runs scored before two errors added two unearned and made it a 4-0 game.
 
Fast forward to the fourth inning after both teams went scoreless in the third, CWU tacked on a pair of runs to cut the AAU lead to 4-2. A Luke Smith single up the middle scored a pair of runners in Jake Tilley and Derek Lohr. Smith and Jake Engel managed to get in scoring position to potentially tie but both were left stranded.
 
The Urban Knights got the two runs back in the bottom of the fifth after a scoreless outing in the fourth. Two hits along with a CWU error allowed the two runs to score. CWU looked to counter and had chances but never scored again in the game.
 
AAU added two more runs in the seventh to bring it to the final of 8-2. JJ Lemming got two quick outs to start the bottom of the frame but back-to-back walks followed by a single loaded the bases. A two RBI single to center scored two runners before Central escaped the jam.
 
Smith and Engel each had a hit in the game for CWU, while Smith tallied two RBI. Tilley and Lohr each scored one run. On the hill, Brayde Hirai suffered the Loss (0-2). He led the Crimson and Black pitching staff with four strikeouts.
 
Game Two: Central Washington 5, Academy of Art 4
Game No. 2 featured more defense by both squads but it was the Wildcats bats that came to life after struggling in game one. The Crimson and Black's 11 hits and no errors proved to be difference maker in the one-run win.
 
The Urban Knights got on the boards first in the second inning. Three of the team's four runs came in the second. They managed just one hit in the frame but four walks by Dillon Larsen helped the Urban Knights take a 3-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats did not score in the third or fourth but had chances getting multiple hits in the fourth after going 1-2-3 in the third. AAU was unable to open its lead and it remained 3-0 after four.
 
Defense was stout for the Wildcats as they held the Urban Knight scoreless from the third inning to the sixth. Despite early struggles and not being able to capitalize on chances, the Wildcats managed to get on the board in the fifth and grabbed their first lead in the sixth.
 
The first CWU run came with one out in the top of the inning. Trevor Tripoli crossed the home plate line after being hit by pitch to get on. He advanced to third on a single by Mitch Lesmeister before an RBI groundout from Jason Hill got him home.
 
JJ Asinas took over for Dillon Larsen in the bottom of the fourth and worked a quick 1-2-3 inning to get the offense back on the field. He was rewarded as the Wildcats scored three runs on four hits to go up 4-3. Adam Fahsel plated home the first run with an RBI double to deep left field to score Michael Peter who got on with a base hit. Luke Smith got to third from Fahsel's hit after getting on from a single and a Justin Hampson walk loaded the bases.
 
Tripoli singled to left for the RBI and it was tied at 3-3 with just one out. After Smith scored it was another bases loaded situation. Lesmeister got the final run on the board with an RBI fielder's choice and Central led 4-3 going into the seventh. The Urban Knight quickly answered with a leadoff homerun to send the game into extra innings.
 
Hampson scored the final run after he got on base from a hit by pitch. A wid pitch got him to second with one out. Lesmeister once again delivered for the Wildcats with an RBI single donw the left field line to bring Hampson home and give them the 5-4 lead.
 
Asinas got redemption in the bottom of the inning as he forced two groundouts before facing off with Ryan Gamboa who hit the leadoff tying homer in the seventh. Gamboa struck out swinging and the Wildcats secure their first win of the 2020 campaign.
 
Lesmesiter was 2-4 with two RBI to lead the bats. Tripoli, Hill, and Fahsel all had an RBI as well. Hampson, Peter and Smith all finished with two hits in the game. Asinas picked up the win on the hill (1-0). He fanned four batters in the game. Larsen had a team-high six strikeouts.
 
The Wildcats and Urban Knights will play a single game tomorrow (Saturday). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Laney College in Oakland, Calif.