ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Central Washington baseball picked up two key victories today 7-6 and 5-2 against Northwest Nazarene at home.
QUOTING HEAD COACH DESI STOREY
"I thought we figured out a way to win games today. We did a good job of manufacturing runs and got timely hits which were huge. Our pitching did a great job keeping us in the games and we were solid defensively."
Desi added, "I thought it was a good group effort I am proud of the guys for their effort today."
GAME ONE CWU 7- NNU 6
- The 'Cats got on the board with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. Austin Ohland caught Northwest Nazarene sleeping and stole home. Next up, Brady Hinkle hit a sac line out to left field that scored Love and put the 'Cats up 3-0.
- The Nighthawks answered in the fifth inning. Mason Leavitt hit an RBI single to left that scored two runs. Next up, Kaleb Karpstein roped an RBI single to right that tied the game at three.
- In the top of the sixth, the Nighthawks used two RBI singles to take a 5-3 lead.
- Ben Leid led off the bottom of the sixth and roped an RBI double to left center. Later in the inning, Sam Lauderdale launched a triple to left center that scored Leid. On the next pitch, Lauderdale stole home and tied the game at five.
- In the seventh Travis Helm reached on an error by the shortstop and Charlie Larson scored giving CWU the 6-5 lead.
- In the eighth, Kyle Payne lifted a double into left center that scored Best and tied the game.
- In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Tripoli punched a single up the middle. Then, Charlie Larson executed a sac bunt that advanced Tripoli to second.
- "Baba" Varner Jr. came up and hit a walk-off single to center field giving the 'Cats the victory.
HITTING
- "Baba" Varner Jr. went 2-5 with the walk-off RBI single, Travis Helm hit 2-4 with an RBI and a run, and Sam Lauderdale went 1-3 with a triple, 2 RBIs, and a run.
- Ben Leid hit 1-3 with a double and scored a run, Austin Ohland went 1-4 with a run, and Trevor Tripoli was 1-4 and scored the game-winning run.
PITCHING
- Daniel Charron got his eleventh start of the season. He pitched 5.2 innings and struck out a batter. Jonathan Garza II entered the game in the sixth inning and threw 2.2 innings striking out two batters.
- Aaron Robertson got the win coming in in the ninth and recording two outs and preserving the tie going into the bottom of the ninth.
GAME TWO CWU 5 - NNU 2
- Duke Pahukoa started the scoring for the Nighthawks by launching a two-run homer over the left-field fence.
- In the bottom of the second, Brady Hinkle hit an RBI double to right center that scored Love and Lauderdale. Hinkle's double tied the game at two.
- In the third inning, Travis Helm hit an RBI single to left field that gave Central Washington the 3-2 lead.
- In the sixth inning, Sam Lauderdale smoked a homer over the right field fence to extend Central Washington's lead to three.
- Nolan Milliman came in and recorded the final three outs to secure the Wildcat's day-one sweep.
HITTING
PITCHING
- Alex Brady got the start and the win. He threw 5.2 innings and struck out four batters. Nolan Milliman came in and got the save throwing 1.1 innings and striking out three batters.
UP NEXT
- Central Washington will finish out their series against Northwest Nazarene tomorrow at noon. The Wildcats will honor six seniors before tomorrow's first game.
