Yellowjackets Swept at Central Washington, 5-4, 3-1

Game One

Game Two

ELLENSBURG, Wash. –  Montana State Billings dropped a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon at Central Washington in the final series of the season, 5-4 and 3-1.  With the losses, the Yellowjackets fell to 10-34 on the year and 7-23 in conference play.  CWU improved to 13-35 on the year and an equal 7-23 record in league play.

In the opener, the Yellowjackets built a 4-0 lead through the middle frames as they broke the game open in the fifth with a single run.  Ryan Dennehy got things started with single up the middle and Ty Sobieraj reached on a fielding error.  Lead-off hitter, Patch Wirtzberger, singled up the middle plating Dennehy for a 1-0 lead.

The lead swelled to 3-0 in the sixth as Kevin Zukaitis and Chris Round singled making way for a two RBI double by Dennehy for two more runs.  MSUB added the fourth run in the seventh on a ground out by Brian Dukart for a 4-0 lead.

MSUB starting pitcher, Jake Vulk, kept the CWU bats at bay through seven as he scattered just five hits.

In the eighth, the Wildcat bats came to life, highlighted by a bases loaded triple from Jake Hammons and a RBI single tying the score.

MSUB made a call to the bullpen for the bottom of the ninth as Vulk went eight innings, allowing 10 hits, four earned runs and he fanned four in a no decision.  Brian Hutchings pitched the ninth for the Jackets as CWU loaded the bases courtesy of a single, hit batsman, sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk.  Lead-off hitter Ricky McKinney singled through the left side on a 0-1 count with the bases loaded for the winning run.

Hutchings (0-3) takes the loss in 0.1 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run and a walk.  CWU hurler, Jake Millbauer, went the distance allowing eight hits, four runs-three earned one walk and three strikeouts.

Offensively, the Jackets were led by Wirtzberger and Dennehy as each had two hits.  Wirtzberger had a RBI, while Dennehy had two RBIs and a run scored.

In the nightcap, the Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a Danny Myers RBI single.  MSUB evened the score in the top of the fourth on a Dukart single after Wirtzberger began the inning with a double.  The second CWU score came on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth for a 2-1 lead and a Myers lead-off home run in the sixth gave the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.

MSUB hurler Kody Kennedy (4-5) took the loss as he went the distance allowing four hits, three earned runs, two walks and he fanned four.  Kevin Walkenhauer (3-3) went the distance allowing five hits, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.

Myers and Kevin Schneider each had two hits for CWU and were the only two batters to get a hit in the game.  MSUB had five players with one hit each and Dukart had the only RBI, while Myers had two for CWU.

The two teams will complete the regular season tomorrow at 12 p.m. with the final doubleheader.