LACEY, Wash. – The Central Washington University baseball team had a strong day after defeating Saint Martin's in both games Saturday afternoon by scores of 5-4 in game one and 4-2 in game two. Both games saw the Wildcats strike late to take a lead and hang on in the final inning.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
Game 1
Final: Central Washington (5), Saint Martin's (4)
Records: CWU (6-14, 4-5 GNAC), SMU (8-20, 0-9 GNAC)
 
Game 2 (Seven Innings)
Final: Central Washington (4), Saint Martin's (2)
Records: CWU (7-14, 5-5 GNAC), SMU (8-21, 0-10 GNAC)
Location: Saints Field, Lacey, Wash.
 
GAME 1:
 
SCORING:
 

• Central struck early in the first inning as Ethan Buckley hit a groundball into a double play, allowing Kaiden Hernandez to score from third base to take a 1-0 lead.
• Saint Martin's found the tying and go-ahead runs in the third inning as Dillon Andres recorded an RBI and Noah Albanese scored on a wild pitch to give SMU a  2-1 lead.
• The Saints found an insurance run in the sixth inning when Spencer Siegel reached first base on a fielding error by the 'Cats and Carson Dunn scored as a result to make it 3-1.
• All hopes for CWU were answered in the eighth inning when Andre Garza dinged a three-run homer to left field with Buckley and Logan Blank scoring on the play, as Central took a 4-3 lead.
• It didn't take long for SMU to respond as Kelton Tom hit an RBI single, driving in Dunn for his second run of the game.
• In the ninth inning, Buckley once again showed up with the bases loaded, hitting a sacrifice flyout as Jonathan Rominger tagged up at third base and scored to give CWU a 5-4 lead. The Saints would get two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Bransyn Hong popped a ball that was caught by Hernandez as the Crimson and Black took game one.

 
HITTING:
 

• Andre Garza led the Wildcats with three RBIs, two hits, two walks, and a run scored in two at-bats.
• Ethan Buckley recorded an RBI, a hit, a walk, and a run scored.
• Logan Blank and Ethan Swenson both recorded two hits, while Blank also scored a run.
• Conrad Henkel rounded out the hits for the game with one hit, while Kaiden Hernandez and Jonathan Rominger each recorded a run.
• The Wildcats reached base 15 times by hits and walks.
• Dillon Andres led the Saints with one RBI and three hits, while Kelton Tom recorded one RBI and two hits.
• The Saints reached base 14 times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Austin Cupic pitched 5.2 innings, allowing three runs, six hits, and striking out three of the 27 batters he faced.
• Lance Mittelman pitched two innings, allowing one run, two hits, while facing seven batters.
• Kellen Berg pitched 1.1 innings, allowing zero runs, two hits, while facing the final seven batters.
• Hudson Norman pitched seven innings for the Saints, allowing one run, six hits, and striking out three of the 27 batters he faced.
• Bryson Nakamoto pitched 0.1 innings for the Saints, allowing two runs, zero hits, while facing three batters.
• Kole Maeda pitched 0.2 innings for the Saints, allowing one run, two hits, while facing four batters.
• Caiden Schultz pitched 0.2 innings for the Saints, allowing one run, zero hits, while facing six batters.
• Raige Velez pitched 0.1 innings for the Saints, allowing zero runs, zero hits, while facing one batter.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• The Wildcats opened game two's scoring with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch from Ethan Swenson that saw Logan Blank score to give Central the early 1-0 lead.
• Saint Martin's answered in the bottom of the first as Bransyn Hong tripled down the right-field line to drive in Alohi Arecchi and Evan Nicol as SMU took a 2-1 lead.
• Kaiden Hernandez responded in the second inning with an RBI single to scored Jake Lockwood and tie the game up at 2-2.
• Both teams went cold for the next four innings as the game entered the seventh and final inning. The first two Wildcats went down before Conrad Henkel hit a base hit to center field to get on first base. Then, on his second pitch, Swenson delivered once again, launching a two-run shot to left field to give CWU a 4-2 lead. The Crimson and Black then got the next three Saints to flyout in succession as Central won the second game of the day 4-2.

 
HITTING:
 

• Ethan Swenson led CWU with three RBIs, two hits, and a run scored.
• Kaiden Hernandez followed with one RBI and a hit.
• Ethan Buckley recorded two hits, while Logan Blank, Conrad Henkel, and Jake Lockwood rounded out the offense with a hit and a run scored from all three Wildcats.
• The 'Cats reached base 12 times by hits and walks.
• Bransyn Hong led the Saint with two RBIs and a hit.
• SMU batters reached base four times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Garet Hagy pitched all seven innings, allowing two runs, three hits, and striking out two of the 25 batters he faced.
• Nikki Scott pitched six innings for the Saints, allowing two runs, six hits, and striking out three of the 29 batters he faced.
• Raige Velez pitched 0.2 innings for the Saints, allowing one run, one hit, and striking out one of the three batters he faced.
• Tyler Young pitched 0.1 innings for the Saints, allowing one run, one hit, while facing two batters.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Central leads the all-time series 109-90.
• The Wildcats are 38-50 in Lacey over the Saints.
• CWU holds a 94-83 conference record over SMU

 
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats and Saints face off for another doubleheader tomorrow from Saints Field. First pitches are scheduled for noon for game one and 3:00 p.m. for game two.