ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington Baseball travels to Nampa, Idaho this week to face 2^nd-ranked Northwest Nazarene in a four-game series.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Games 1 & 2 Friday, March 17^th, 2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
Games 3 & 4 Monday, March 6^th, 12:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Northwest Nazarene
Nampa, Idaho
Elmore W. Vail Field
 
QUOTING DESI STOREY
"Our goal is to improve every week and this week we look to get better on the road against another quality opponent. NNU has been improving too and they are always tough at home."
 
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Cats went 1-3 in their series against Western Oregon. Reid Rasmussen and Ben Leid lifted the team to a 5-4 victory in the final game.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Travis Helm hit an RBI double to right center and then Austin Ohland hit a sac fly that brought in Helm. The Wolves tied it at two in the 4^th inning with a ground out by Ryan Witt that scored Bischoff.

Next, AJ Cortese laced a homer to give the Wolves a 4-2 lead. For the 'Cats, Ben Leid stepped up to the plate in the fifth and launched one over the fence in right center giving Central Washington the 5-4 advantage and the momentum.

Reid Rasmussen was in lockdown mode all game and finished the last two innings securing the Wildcat's victory.
 
WILDCAT STATS
Trevor Tripoli leads the 'Cats offense hitting .338 with three doubles and eight RBIs. Sam Lauderdale leads the team in home runs with five and Travis Helm has pushed across 22 runs this season for the 'Cats.
 
On the mound, Brayde Hirai and Daniel Charron lead Central Washington. Hirai is 2-2 with a 2.43 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 12 batters so far this season. Charron is also 2-2 and leads the team in strikeouts fanning 20 batters in 30 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING THE NIGHTHAWKS
Northwest Nazarene is 11-15 overall and 5-3 in conference play. Recently, the Nighthawks went 3-1 in their series against Montana State Billings. They fell 9-11 in their game yesterday against Utah Valley.

Mason Leavitt leads the Nighthawk's offense averaging .355 at the plate. Shane Jamison has 21 RBIs on 29 hits. Duke Pahukoa hits the most home runs on the squad, he has four so far this season.

On the bump, Brock Moffitt is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Spencer Schwehr has a 6.5 ERA and tied up 33 batters in 29.1 innings pitched.
 
UP NEXT
Central Washington returns home next week for a lone game with Whitman before playing a four-game series against Montana State Billings.