ELLENSBRUG, Wash.— Austin Ohland had a three-home run day at the plate as Central Washington (7-10 Overall, 1-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) split their conference-opening doubleheader with Northwest Nazarene (9-9, 1-1) winning the opener, 14-9, while dropping the night cap by a 6-5 score.

"I felt like we competed all day on the mound, in the field, and at the plate," Central Washington Head Coach Desi Storey said. "We gave ourselves a chance in both games, but we have to just be a little bit better overall and not give up the big innings on little mistakes. The guys competed well today and didn't give in. We almost pulled out game two, so we just have to be ready for games three and four tomorrow."

Ohland was 4-9 at the plate this afternoon, adding a double, three runs, and eight runs batted into his final line. Ohland leads the GNAC in doubles (12) and is now tied with teammate Austin Hauck to lead the conference in home runs (4).

Charlie Larson had the only other four-hit day for Central Washington alongside three runs.

Nolan Murphy (1-0) came out of the bullpen in game one to pick up his first win of the season. The freshman allowed just two hits and two earned runs in today's outing. Brayde Hirai (0-0) took the mound in the seventh, picking up his second save of the season allowing just two hits while striking out three.

Nolan Miliman came on in relief in the fourth inning of game two. After inheriting a base runner with two outs, Miliman brought the Nighthawk offense to a halt, not allowing a hit for the remainder of the game while striking out four.

Brock Moffitt (1-0) snagged his first win in the Nighthawks game two win. Moffitt allowed just three hits and one earned run through four innings of work alongside four strikeouts.

Grant Kerry led the NNU offense going 5-9 with one home run, one double, four runs. And three runs batted in.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
In the top of the first a sacrifice fly from Kerry allowed the Nighthawks to plate the first run of the day. In the bottom of the inning, Zach Berryman answered with a first-pitch home run that cleared the scoreboard in left field, tying it up 1-1.

The Nighthawks recaptured the lead in the second 2-1, on a single after an error by Central.

Ohland opened the third inning with a two-run home run. Michael Peter singled later in the inning to score Charlie Larson and Michael Copeland, extending Central's lead 5-2.

A five-run fourth inning allowed Northwest Nazarene to recapture the lead. The Nighthawks strung together a series of extra-base hits including a home run from Kerry. Central answered quickly in the bottom of the inning with Ohland's second home run of the day. A walk and a sacrifice bunt allowed Larson to score once more, recapturing the lead for CWU 8-7.

A double and a walk allowed the Wildcats to add another insurance run in the sixth. NNU allowed a series of walks shortly after, and paid the price when Adam Fahsel cleared the bases with his first grand slam of the year and extending the lead 13-7.

The Nighthawks grabbed their final run of the game on a collection of walks in the top of seventh inning. Larson came around to score on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the inning, and the Wildcats walked away with the 14-9 win.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
Northwest Nazarene plated the opening run in game two with a leadoff double followed by a single from Tyler Best, taking a quick 1-0 lead.

NNU exploded in the top of the fourth, stringing together five base hits alongside and error by CWU to score five runs. Copeland answered for Central in the bottom of the inning, swiping home on an error by the Nighthawks third baseman. Central Washington trailed 6-1 after four.

CWU tacked on three more in the fifth inning on a three-run home run from Ohland, pulling within two, 6-4.  

A two-out error by NNU in the bottom of the seventh allowed Central to pull within one, but in the end the Central fell to Northwest Nazarene 6-5.

The Wildcats and Nighthawks continue their four-game series tomorrow, Mar. 5^th, with another doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m.