ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University baseball team (13-13, 7-7 GNAC) found opportunities to score and keep the games close, but couldn't find a way to finish, dropping the first doubleheader against Montana State Billings by scores of 1-5, and 4-6 Friday afternoon.
 
Quoting CWU Baseball Head Coach Desi Storey
"We competed through both games, Charron and Garza kept us right there, we just needed to not make some key mistakes and be a bit more consistent offensively."
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
Game 1
Final: Central Washington (1), Montana State Billings (5)
Records: CWU (13-12, 7-6 GNAC), MSUB (19-10, 9-4 GNAC)
 
Game 2
Final: Central Washington (4), Montana State Billings (6)
Records: CWU (13-13, 7-7 GNAC), MSUB (20-10, 11-3 GNAC)
Location: CWU Baseball Field, Ellensburg, Wash.
 
GAME 1:
 
SCORING:

TEAM	INNING		CWU	MSUB
CWU	7th	Bledy doubled to left center, RBI; Sharp scored.	1	0
MSUB	8th	Bertram, K singled to left field, 2 RBI; Fortier advanced to third; Jeffrey scored; Kirshenbaum scored.	1	2
MSUB	8th	Elmer reached on a fielder's choice, bunt; Bertram, K advanced to second; Fortier scored, scored on a throwing error by p, unearned.	1	3
MSUB	9th	Fortier doubled to right center, RBI; Kirshenbaum scored.	1	4
MSUB	9th	Bertram, K singled to left field, RBI; Fortier scored.	1	5

 
PITCHING:

• Daniel Charron pitched seven and one-third innings, allowing three runs, seven hits, and striking out three of the 33 batters he faced.
• Garet Hagy pitched in one inning, allowing two hits, and facing three batters.
• Kellen Berg pitched one and two-thirds inning, allowing two runs, three hits, and striking out one of the eight batters he faced.

 
HITTING:

• Max Bledy earned Central's lone RBI, driving in Andrew Sharp in the seventh inning.
• Eight Wildcats players including Bledy, Logan Blank, Travis Helm, Ben Leid, Marcus Manzardo, Brandham Ponce, Sharp, and Baba Varner Jr. recorded a hit.
• The Wildcats reached base nine times by hits and walks.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:

TEAM	INNING		CWU	MSUB
CWU	1st	Ponce singled to left center, RBI; Manzardo scored.	1	0
MSUB	2nd	Fortier singled up the middle, RBI; Kirshenbaum scored.	1	1
MSUB	2nd	Bertram, K advanced to third on a balk; Fortier scored on a balk.	1	2
MSUB	2nd	May singled to right center, RBI; Bertram, K scored.	1	3
CWU	5th	Manzardo homered to right field, RBI.	2	3
CWU	5th	Leid flied out to rf, SF, RBI; Ponce advanced to third; Helm scored.	3	3
MSUB	6th	Ayala advanced to second on a wild pitch; Bertram, K advanced to third on a wild pitch; Fortier scored on a wild pitch.	3	4
CWU	6th	Garza doubled down the rf line, RBI; Felton scored.	4	4
MSUB	7th	Kirshenbaum doubled to left center, RBI; Wright scored.	4	5
MSUB	7th	Jeffrey singled to right field, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Kirshenbaum scored.	4	6

 
PITCHING:

• Jonathan Garza II pitched seven innings, allowing six runs, 10 hits, and striking out four of the 33 batters he faced.

 
HITTING:

• Andre Garza, Ben Leid, Marcus Manzardo, and Brandham Ponce each earned an RBI.
• Ponce recorded three hits, while Logan Blank, Travis Helm, Garza, and Manzardo recorded a hit.
• The Wildcats reached base nine times by hits and walks.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Central trails the all-time series 62-70.
• These were the teams' 66th and 67th games played in Ellensburg, Wash.
   

UP NEXT:
The Wildcats and Yellowjackets face off for another doubleheader tomorrow, March 29. The first game starts at 11:00 a.m. from the CWU Baseball Field.