ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University baseball team cut its postseason hopes down to just one game Friday afternoon after defeating Saint Martin's in both games of its doubleheader at the CWU Baseball Field.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
Game 1
Final: Central Washington (13), Saint Martin's (7)
Records: CWU (17-20, 14-11 GNAC), SMU (11-33, 3-22 GNAC)
 
Game 2
Final: Central Washington (2), Saint Martin's (1)
Records: CWU (18-20, 15-11 GNAC), SMU (11-34, 3-23 GNAC)
Location: CWU Baseball Field, Ellensburg, Wash.
 
GAME 1:
 
SCORING:
 

• Central Washington struck first in the second inning. Conrad Henkel came home on a Kaiden Hernandez single to center, and Max Bledy scored on a Logan Blank single up the middle to take a 2-0 lead.
• In the fourth, Henkel scored again on Hernandez's RBI groundout. Moments later, Jonathan Rominger raced home on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-0.
• CWU then broke the game open in the fifth. Ethan Swenson singled in Andre Garza, then Rominger delivered an RBI single to left. Kellen Berg later scored on a wild pitch, and Henkel crossed the plate on Bledy's sacrifice fly. Another wild pitch allowed Rominger to score, capping a five‑run surge as Central took a 9-0 lead.
• Garza added to the lead in the sixth with a run‑scoring double to center, advancing to third on an error before scoring on another wild pitch for an 11-0 lead.
• Saint Martin's finally answered in the seventh with a big rally. Carson Dunn singled to left and advanced on an error, driving in two unearned runs. Zion Ishikawa followed with a two‑run single to right, and Bransyn Hong launched a three‑run homer to right to pull SMU within striking distance at 11-7.
• Swenson halted the SMU momentum in the eighth, blasting a two‑run homer to left to push the lead back out to 13-7. The Wildcats then retired the Saints in the top of the ninth to take game one and cut its postseason hopes to two games.

 
HITTING:
 

• Ethan Swenson led the 'Cats with three RBIs, two hits and two runs scored.
• Kaiden Hernandez recorded two RBIs and one hit.
• Logan Blank, Max Bledy, Andre Garza, and Jonathan Rominger each recorded an RBI, while Garza recorded three hits, and Blank and Rominger each recorded two hits.
• The Wildcats reached base 19 times by hits and walks.
• Bransyn Hong led SMU with three RBIs, two hits, and a run scored, while Carson Dunn and Zion Ishikawa each recorded two RBIs and one run scored, while Dunn recorded two hits, and Ishikawa recorded a hit.
• The Saints reached base 15 times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Austin Cupic pitched six innings allowing three runs, five hits, and striking out seven of the 25 batters he faced.
• Braeden Fagnant pitched 0.1 innings allowing three runs, three hits, and striking out one of the four batters he faced.
• Zachary Reynolds pitched 0.2 innings allowing one run, three hits, while facing five batters.
• Lance Mittelman pitched two innings allowing zero runs, one hit, while facing eight batters.
• Luke Fulkers pitched 4.1 innings for the Saints allowing 8 runs, 8 hits, while facing 25 batters.
• Kip Watanabe pitched 2.1 innings for the Saints allowing three runs, two hits, and striking out one of the 12 batters he faced.
• Raige Velez pitched 1.1 innings for the Saints allowing two runs, two hits, and striking out one of the six batters he faced.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• SMU broke through in the top of the seventh inning when Isaac Hoag came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Camden Dickey, advancing Kyle Schabot to second and putting the Mustangs on the board first at 1-0.
• Central answered in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game after Max Bledy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Kellen Berg to score. It didn't take long for the Wildcats to find the game-winning walk off as the next pitch plunked Kaiden Hernandez to advance Conrad Henkel home as the Crimson and Black took the 2-1 victory on a unique walk off with back-to-back hit-by-pitch plays.

 
HITTING:
 

• Max Bledy and Kaiden Hernandez recorded an RBI as well as a hit each.
• Kellen Berg led on the hit column reaching base twice, while Logan Blank and Ethan Buckley each recorded a hit.
• The Wildcats reached base nine times by hits and walks.
• Camden Dickey recorded a lone RBI for the Saints, while Carson Dunn led SMU with two hits.
• Three other Saints including Bransyn Hong, Evan Nicol, and Kyle Schabot each recorded a hit.
• The Saints reached base six times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Garet Hagy pitched seven innings allowing one run, five hits, and striking out five of the 27 batters he faced.
• Hudson Normand pitched 6.2 innings for the Saints allowing two runs, six hits, and striking out four of the 28 batters he faced.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Central leads the all-time series 112-91.
• The Wildcats are 65-35 in Ellensburg against the Saints.
• CWU holds a 97-84 conference record over SMU.

 
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats and Saints go at it again tomorrow for the home finale doubleheader, as Central also celebrates Senior Day as well as the final home game for longtime head coach Desi Storey. Senior Day festivities will begin prior to Game One.