BILLINGS, Mont. – The Central Washington University Baseball Team locked up the final spot in the GNAC Championships with a split on the road at Montana State Billings Thursday afternoon with a thrilling 6-4, 14-inning victory that saw senior Brandham Ponce tie the GNAC record for homers in a single season with 18.
 
Thanks to a 10-5 victory from the Saint Martin's Saints over the Western Oregon Wolves, the 'Cats locked up the final spot in the GNAC Championships, hosted by CWU, since the crimson and black own the tiebreaker over WOU winning six of eight matchups this season.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
GAME 1:
 

• Final: Central Washington (6), Montana State Billings (4) (14 Innings)
• Records: CWU (23-22, 14-15 GNAC), MSUB (28-17, 19-10 GNAC)

 
GAME 2:
 

• Final: Central Washington (1), Montana State Billings (7)
• Records: CWU (23-23, 14-16 GNAC), MSUB (29-17, 20-10 GNAC)
• Location: Dehler Park, Billings, Mont.

 
GAME 1:
 
SCORING:
 

• The 'Jackets struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Bodee Wright doubled down the left field line to score Ryker Fortier and was immediately backed up by Zack Blaszak hitting a single to right field to score Parker Bleggi and Wright and put MSUB up 3-0.
• Ponce tied the GNAC record for homers in a single season with a bomb to center field in the third inning to cut it to 3-1 'Jackets.
• Wright tacked on once again for the Yellowjackets in the fourth inning when he sacrificed himself to score Jarret Elmer and make it 4-1 MSUB.
• Marcus Manzardo sacrificed himself in the sixth inning to score Justin Birch to dice the deficit in half, 4-2 in favor of MSUB.
• Back-to-back homers by Ben Leid and Max Bledy save the 'Cats in the top of the ninth as they tied the game at four apiece and sent it to extras.
• Birch broke the tie in the 14th inning when he hit a single through the left side which scored Brady Hinkle.
• Later in the inning Ponce was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Logan Blank and stellar pitching from Garet Hagy and Kellen Berg closed out the victory for the 'Cats 6-4.

 
HITTING:
 

• All starting nine batters recorded a hit for the crimson and black, led by Manzardo with three.
• Baba Varner Jr., Ponce, Leid, Bledy, Andrew Sharp, Hinkle, and Birch all had two hits while Jake Felton recorded one hit.
• Ponce accounted for two RBI while Manzardo, Leid, Bledy, and Birch all had one apiece.
• Manzardo, Ponce, Bledy, and Blank all drew one walk each.
• The 'Jackets were led by Blaszak with four hits who tied with Wright with two RBI each.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Daniel Charron pitched the first 8.1 innings allowing eight hits, four runs, and two walks while earning three strikeouts against 36 batters.
• Hagy pitched the next 5.1 innings allowing five hits, no runs, and three walks but struck out two of 24 batters.
• Berg pitched the final 0.1 innings allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks while earning one strikeout against two batters.
• Jackson Betancourt pitched the first six innings for MSUB allowing 12 hits, two runs, one walk, and earned five strikeouts against 31 batters.
• Hayden Mullins pitched the next 7.1 innings allowing six hits, four runs, and three walks while striking out eight of 32 batters.
• Andy Evans pitched the final 0.2 innings allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks while earning one strikeout against four batters.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• Birch put CWU on the board first this time, singling to right field to score Sharp in the top of the second inning to make it 1-0 'Cats.
• The 'Jackets sounded off with a five-run third inning that started by Nathan May scoring on a wild pitch followed by Kaden Kirshenbaum tripling down the right field line to score Jack Nehler and Blaszak backed by Ryan Jeffrey doubling through the right side to score Kirshenbaum and capped by May earning a bases loaded walk to score Jeffrey and put MSUB up 5-1.
• Kirshenbaum added on in the fourth inning when he doubled to center field to score Blaszak and later in the inning Jeffrey reached on an error by the second baseman to score Kirshenbaum to make it 7-1 'Jackets.

 
HITTING:
 

• Manzardo led the 'Cats with two hits while Sharp, Andre Garza, Travis Helm, and Birch all had one hit apiece.
• Birch tacked on the sole CWU RBI.
• Kirshenbaum led MSUB with three hits and three RBI.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Jonathan Garza II pitched the first 2.2 innings allowing three hits, five runs, and four walks against 16 batters.
• Braden Zadow pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing four hits, two runs with only one earned, and one walk while earning one strikeout against 16 batters.
• Brennen Chappell pitched all seven innings, allowing six hits, one run, no walks, and struck out eight batters against the 27 he faced.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The 'Jackets lead the series 73-65 since 2006.
• The 'Cats are 30-36 in Billings against MSUB.
• CWU is 2-8 against the Yellowjackets in the past 10 games.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The Wildcats will meet with the 'Jackets for another pair of clashes tomorrow from Dehler Park with first pitch set for 11:00 a.m.