ELLENSBURG, Wash.- The Central Washington University baseball team [16-18 (11-9)] is looking to continue their conference leading hitting against the Western Oregon University Wolves [18-16 (12-8)] this weekend with doubleheaders on Saturday April 13th and Sunday April 14th. The Wildcats hold four of the top five batting averages in the GNAC and lead the conference with a team .305 batting average.   
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday April 13th 
Game Times: (DH) G1: 12:00 pm G2: 3:00 pm
Opponent: Western Oregon
Location: CWU Baseball Field | Ellensburg, Wa.
 
Date: Sunday April 14th 
Game Times: (DH) G1: 12:00 pm G2: 3:00 pm
Opponent: Western Oregon
Location: CWU Baseball Field | Ellensburg, Wa. 
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH DESI STOREY
"Got a great opportunity this weekend with a tough opponent in Western Oregon. With the GNAC standings so close this series is very important for us. We're looking to come out with some consistency all weekend on the mound and at the plate, our guys need to continue their approaches and play Wildcat baseball."   
 
THE WOLVES
WOU is currently in second place in the GNAC, sitting one game back of the Nighthawks. The Wolves are 12-8 in conference play and in their previous series in Monmouth last month, Western Oregon would split with CWU seeing the series go; G1: CWU 6 - WOU 7 (11 Inn.); G2: CWU 4 - WOU 3; G3: CWU 2 - WOU 6; G4: CWU 1 - WOU 0.  Western Oregon is batting .273 as a team with 301 hits and have 13 HR's on the season. The Wolves lead the GNAC off the rubber with a team 4.30 ERA, allowing 154 runs off 255 hits. The Wolves are coming in off a series win against the first place NNU Nighthawks that saw WOU win the first game 6-2, drop the second game 3-4, win game 3 final 7-3, and win game 4 by a score of 1-0. 
HITTERS
The Wolves are led by John Oleson who is batting .315 on the season with 39 hits in 124 AB's. John has 3 home runs to go along with 4 doubles and 26 RBI's. Owen Bischoff is another leading hitter for WOU, he's batting .304 on the season with 34 hits in 112 AB's. Owen has 4 triples, 5 doubles, and 15 RBI's to go along with a team leading 5 stolen bases. . AJ Cortese is one to watch for with 11 doubles on the season, he's batting .289 having 28 hits in 97 AB's. The speedster Curran Mitzel is one to keep an eye on, he's got a team and conference leading 5 triples while batting .286 on the year.    
PITCHING
Western Oregon leads the GNAC on the rubber with a team 4.30 ERA, allowing 154 runs off 255 hits with 242 strikeouts. The Wolves have let 107 men aboard via the walk and have given up 17 home runs while holding opponents to a .244 BA. Starters to watch for are Dylan Chalmers and Jacob Memmott. Chalmers has a 3-2 record with a 2.96 ERA, allowing 25 runs off 49 hits in 48.2 innings of work while striking out 43 batters. Memmott holds a 3.35 ERA with a 5-1 record, allowing 16 runs off 33 hits in 40.1 innings pitched while striking out 36 hitters. The Wolves will look to go to Devin Bell out of the pen, holding 2.82 ERA in 13 appearances, logging 22.1 IP having 2 saves. Bryce Bond is another to watch for with 3 saves on the season in 13 appearances logging 16.2 IP.     
 
THE WILDCATS
CWU is [16-18 (11-9)] on the season and sit in third place in the GNAC, 2 games back of the Nighthawks. The Wildcats lead the GNAC in hitting, boasting a team .305 AVG with 4 of the top 5 conference leaders being 'Cats, and 5 of the top 10. The Wildcats are coming off of a series split with Saint Martin's University last weekend which saw the 'Cats sweep Saturday securing coach Storey's 700ths win, and the Saints would sweep Sunday's matchups.
HITTERS
CWU is led by a strong offense, boasting a conference leading team .305 average with 15 home runs. Led by Sr. Ben Leid who has an impressive .417 AVG. having 50 hits in 120 AB's. Leid has blasted 4 home runs on the season with 28 RBI's. Austin Ohland looks to keep up his hot hitting, holding a .365 AVG. in 126 AB's, Oh has 4 home runs on the season to go with his 10 doubles and 26 RBi's. Sophomore Andrew Sharp is swinging a hot stick batting .354 AVG. with 3 HR, 9 Doubles, and 30 RBI's. Baba Varner Jr. is having a strong 2024 season, blasting 3 home runs with a .351 AVG. while having 18 RBI's, 9 doubles, and 2 triples.  Marcus Manzardo is swinging a hot bat, batting .343 in 140 AB's, Manzardo has 48 hits while scoring 31 runs for the 'Cats. 
PITCHING
The Wildcats arms are hot, holding opponents to a .282 batting average while boasting a team 4.64 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. Jonathan Garza II threw a complete game no-hitter against SMU on 4.6, Garza has left hitters struggling, fanning 47 batters in 46.1 IP.
 Logan Pierce leads the Wildcats with a 4.04 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP and 2-1 record. Other key starting pitchers for the 'Cats are Alex Brady and Daniel Charron, both having 9 starts on the season, Brady has 44 strikeouts in 46.1 IP. Charron has a 4.24 ERA with 4 complete games while striking out 28 batters faced.  
Look for pitchers Beau Kearsey, Drew Richardson, and Arron Robertson to keep it on lock out of the 'pen, all having appeared in more than 8 games this season. Pitcher Nolan Milliman has had quite the season thus far with a 5-2 record, 1.93 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a save in 14.0 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts. Richardson leads the 'Cats with 3 saves and has 9 appearances on the season. Robertson has kept it nasty out of the 'pen with 11 strikeouts in 7 appearances in relief.