ELLENSBURG, Wash.— After a strict conference-only schedule in 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Washington's baseball team is headed to Caldwell, Idaho, for a pair of doubleheaders to open their 2022 season. Saturday's matchup is their first non-conference series since 2020.
First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PST on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. PST on Sunday.
"The guys are pretty excited to get out and get that first series in," said Central Washington Head Coach Desi Storey. "It's going to be a challenge, not being able to go outside with some of our recent weather. The guys have been working pretty hard and we're as ready as we can be not being outside and scrimmaging."
SCOUTING THE COYOTES
The Coyotes kicked off their 2022 slate going 3-1 at the Coach Calderone Classic in Phoenix, Arizona. The Coyotes only loss was to Kansas Wesleyan 16-6. In 2021 CI went 19-28 overall, and included a win over Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Northwest Nazarene, 5-4 in 12 innings.
"The college of Idaho is a quality program regardless whether they're NAIA or NCAA DII, they're going to have some guys that can play so it will be great for us to get out and get after it. The objective is always to win a series, so of course we need to play well all four games," said Storey.
Through the first four games the Coyotes offense is batting .263 at the plate with 25 runs batted in. The Coyotes have speed on the bases, stealing seven of nine attempted bases thus far. Leading the Coyotes at the plate is sophomore Jonah Hultberg. The 5-11 outfielder is hitting .444 with a .944 slugging percentage alongside posting eight hits, four doubles, a triple, and a home run with seven runs batted in through only 18 at-bats.
CI has been strong on the mound, allowing only 36 hits across 35 innings played thus far. Dimick Wood (1-0) was the most dominant on the hill for the Coyotes. The 5-11 right hander threw five innings allowing only four hits and one earned run alongside seven strikeouts, earning himself the win when the Coyotes took down Embry-Riddle, 7-4.
LAST SEASON FOR THE WILDCATS
The Wildcats closed out 2021 with a 16-14 overall record and 14-10 conference finish. After a strong 5-1 hot streak to end the regular season, the Wildcats were swept by Northwest Nazarene in the GNAC conference tournament, 2-0.
The Crimson and Black will see the return of GNAC Freshman of the Year Austin Ohland and 1st Team All-GNAC outfielder Zach Berryman. Ohland, a 6-1 catcher, hit .347 at the plate alongside a .611 slugging percentage with ten doubles, five home runs and 2 runs batted in. Berryman, a junior utility player, led the Wildcats with a .409 average at the plate totaling 45 hits with six doubles, a pair of triples, and one home run. The offensive duo is responsible for driving in 105 of the Wildcats 215 total runs.
On the hill the Wildcats are returning junior Dylan Weese and 1st Team All-GNAC sophomore Reid Rasmussen. Weese, a 6-2 right hander, was one of just two pitchers in the conference to throw a complete game shutout. Weese tallied a 1-2 record through four starts and eight appearances, striking out 25 batters through 30.2 innings of work. Rasmussen, a 6-3 southpaw out of Selah, Washington, finished third in the conference for wins with five, and opponents average at .223. Rasmussen tallied a 5-2 record through his eight starts and appearances allowing only 27 hits alongside 25 strikeouts through 32.3 innings of work.
