May 4, 2008          
                                                                  

Wildcats Claw Yellowjackets in Doubleheader Sweep

     Game One
     Game Two 

BILLINGS, Mont. – Central Washington posted a doubleheader sweep of Montana State Billings Sunday afternoon at Pirtz Field.  The Wildcats won the opener in come-from-behind fashion, 13-9 and won the nightcap, 15-5.  The Yellowjackets, who honored three seniors before the game on Senior Day, fall to 13-35 overall and 4-22 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

As in yesterday’s first game, CWU’s Jamie Nilsen led off the opening game with a solo home run to right field for a 1-0 lead.  The Jackets tied the game in the bottom of the inning on smart base running by Nick Harris as Matt Schoonover hit into a fielder’s choice, but Harris came home after advancing to third on a throwing error by the third baseman for a 1-1 score.

The Jackets took the lead in the bottom of the second as Steve Larson led-off the inning with a double to the gap, followed by a triple to right center from Stefan Malkuch for a 2-1 lead.  Jeff Ridgeway increased the lead with a single through the right side scoring Malkuch for a 3-1 lead.

Central Washington tied the game in the fourth with two RBI singles by Sean Sloppy and Nilson for a 3-3 score. 

MSUB regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Malkuch had a RBI single after back-to-back errors by CWU to begin the inning.  Moments later, Nick Harris belted a two run single to center for a 6-3 lead.  A sacrifice fly by Matt Kakalecik scored Jonathan Schlender in the fifth for a 7-3 lead. 

The Wildcats loaded the bases in the sixth with one out on two walks and a hit batsmen.  Nilsen tied the game with one swing of the bat, his second grand slam of the series and second home run of the game, tying the score at seven.

CWU scored six runs in the top of the seventh helped out by two crucial Yellowjacket miscues, resulting in five unearned runs in the inning for a 13-7 lead.  To that point, the Wildcats scored 10 unanswered runs. 

Yellowjacket reliever Leo Hansen went just two thirds of an inning allowing six runs with just one earned.  Senior starter Jeremy Knowles went six innings, allowing nine hits, seven earned runs, four walks and two strikeouts in a no decision.

Nick Harris answered for the Jackets in the eighth with a two run home run to left field making the score 13-9.  It was Harris’ third home run of the season.

The Wildcats loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first of the nightcap as Sloppy singled to left for a RBI, but a nice relay throw from Malkuch gunned down Nate Rylaarsdam at the plate.  Moments later, Kevin Walkenhauer roped a double to right center, plating the second run of the inning.

Nilsen belted his fifth home run of the series in the top of the second for a 3-0 lead.  Frank Donangelo hit the second home run of the inning, a two run, opposite field shot to right field for a 5-0 lead.  Two bases loaded hit batsmen scored two more runs for a 7-0 lead.

The Jackets got on the board with the help of a couple of CWU miscues as Kakalecik reached on an error scoring Schlender from second for a 7-1 deficit in the second.  Harris laced a two out, bases clearing double to right center for a 7-4 score.  Levi Johnson roped a single up the middle for the fifth run of the inning.

Back-to-back doubles to begin the fourth increased the Wildcat lead to 8-5 as Snowdon doubled down the left field line scoring a run.  Moments later, Gosney homered to right field for a 10-5 score.

CWU added four runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a three run home run by Walkenhauer for a 15-5 score.

The Yellowjackets could not get anything going in the seventh, falling 15-5. 

MSUB concludes the regular season next Friday at Western Oregon with a four game series.