BILLINGS, Mont. – The Central Washington University baseball team had a close chance to sweep Montana State Billings Sunday afternoon, but ended up splitting the second doubleheader after MSUB won in a walk-off in game one and then CWU dominated the second game with double-digit scoring.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
 
Game 1
Final: Central Washington (5), Montana State Billings (6)
Records: CWU (13-18, 10-9 GNAC), MSUB (15-15, 9-6 GNAC)
 
Game 2
Final: Central Washington (11), Montana State Billings (2)
Records: CWU (14-18, 11-9 GNAC), MSUB (15-16, 9-7 GNAC)
Location: Pirtz Field, Billings, Mont.
 

GAME 1:
 
SCORING:
 

• The Wildcats jumped ahead in the second inning when Conrad Henkel drilled a two‑run homer to right field, scoring Ethan Swenson for a 2-0 lead. Moments later, Max Bledy followed with a two‑run shot to left, bringing home Sinclair Lee and pushing the Wildcats ahead 4-0.
• MSU Billings broke through in the fifth. Jason Wright grounded into a double play that allowed Nate McDonald to score, trimming the deficit to 4-1. Ryker Fortier then beat out an infield single to score Cole Ayala and make it 4-2.
• The Yellowjackets kept the pressure on in the seventh. Jack Nehler singled up the middle to drive in Wright, cutting the margin to 4-3. River Smith then followed with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Nehler and tying the game at 4-4.
• Central briefly reclaimed the lead in the eighth when Jonathan Rominger doubled down the left‑field line, scoring Swenson to put the Wildcats back on top 5-4.
• MSU Billings answered in the bottom half as Wright tripled to left‑center, bringing home Ayala to even the score again at 5-5.
• In the ninth, Ethan Buckley had a strong chance to score the go-ahead run on a single from Kellen Berg, but Smith threw a dart from right field to the catcher, Wright to tag Buckley out at the plate. The Yellowjackets found their chance in the bottom half when Kaden Bertram singled to left, and Nehler came around to score on a fielding error, as MSUB walked off the game 6-5.

 
HITTING:
 

• Max Bledy and Conrad Henkel led the 'Cats, each recording two RBIs, one hit, and scoring a run.
• Jonathan Rominger recorded one RBI and a hit.
• Four other Wildcats recorded one hit including Kellen Berg, Logan Blank, Ethan Buckley, and Andre Garza.
• Ethan Swenson scored two runs, and Sinclair Lee scored one run.
• The Wildcats reached base 13 times by hits and walks.
• MSUB had four players record four RBIs including Ryker Fortier, Jack Nehler, River Smith, and Jason Wright, while Nehler and Kaden Bertram led with three hits each.
• The Yellowjackets reached base 16 times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Kyler Malnar pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs, four hits, and striking out one of the 26 batters he faced.
• Braden Zadow pitched 0.2 innings, allowing two runs, two hits, while facing four batters.
• Lance Mittelman pitched one inning, allowing one run, two hits, while facing five batters.
• Drake Anderson pitched 0.2 innings, allowing one run, three hits, while facing five batters.
• Cade Queen pitched five innings for the Yellowjackets allowing four runs, three hits, and striking out seven of the 23 batters he faced.
• Cody Snow pitched 2.1 innings for the Yellowjackets allowing one run, two hits, and striking out one of the 12 batters he faced.
• Owen Combs pitched 1.2 innings for the Yellowjackets allowing zero runs, two hits, while facing seven batters.

 
GAME 2:
 
SCORING:
 

• Central broke through in the third inning when Kaiden Hernandez doubled to right-center to drive in Jake Lockwood, then scored shortly after on Logan Blank's RBI single up the middle to make it a 2-0 lead.
• The Wildcats added another run in the fourth as Conrad Henkel singled up the middle to score Ethan Swenson, extending the lead to 3-0.
• The 'Cats put the game out of reach with a five-run fifth inning. Andre Garza, Swenson and Kellen Berg each doubled to drive in runs, Henkel added an RBI single and then later scored on a balk, pushing the margin to 8-0.
• Hernandez struck again in the sixth with an RBI double, and another run scored on an error to give the Wildcats a nine-run advantage. **CWU 9, MSU Billings 0.**
• Jonathan Rominger capped CWU's scoring in the seventh with a two-run homer. MSU Billings answered later in the inning on Jason Wright's two-run homer, but the deficit was too large to overcome as the Crimson and Black took the victory 11-2

 
HITTING:
 

• Conrad Henkel, Kaiden Hernandez, and Jonathan Rominger led with two RBIs each, while Henkel led with three hits and two runs scored.
• Kellen Berg, Logan Blank, Andre Garza, and Ethan Swenson each recorded an RBI, while Swenson recorded two hits and scored two runs.
• The Wildcats reached base 16 times by hits and walks.
• Jason Wright led MSUB with two RBIs, two hits, and scored a run.
• The Yellowjackets reached base 10 times by hits and walks.

 
PITCHING:
 

• Camdyn Martindale pitched seven innings, allowing two runs, nine hits, and striking out five of the 29 batters he faced.
• Scott Klinker pitched 4.2 innings for the Yellowjackets allowing eight runs, nine hits, and striking out six of the 24 batters he faced.
• Hayden Mullins pitched 2.1 innings for the Yellowjackets allowing three runs, six hits, and striking out four of the 14 batters he faced.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• Central trails the all-time series 71-82.
• The Wildcats are 35-38 in Billings against the Yellowjackets.
• MSUB holds a 77-66 conference record over CWU.

 
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats return home next week to take on Western Oregon in a four-game series starting Friday, April 10. First pitch from the CWU Baseball Field is scheduled for noon.