BILLINGS, Mont. — The Central Washington University Wildcats faced Montana State University Billings in a four-game series with the Wildcats earning three wins over the weekend, according to a statement from CWU Athletics.  

In the first game Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats got an early lead on, MSU Billings, scoring two runs in the first inning and one in the second. Montana responded in the bottom of the second with four runs to claim the lead which would later be reclaimed by Central as they pulled ahead to claim a 9-6 victory. 

Logan Blank led CWU at bat in the first game, with three hits and two runs followed by Kaiden Hernandez and Ethan Swenson with two hits and one run each. Austin Cupic pitched six innings where he allowed five runs, seven hits and struck out three.

Saturday’s game two was even closer between the two teams with both scoring one run in the first inning, but the Wildcats claimed the lead in the third inning with three runs and extended the lead in the fourth with an additional run. CWU added another run in the sixth inning, but MSUB cut into the lead with four runs to put the game at 6-5 at the top of the seventh. 

Central added four runs to the scoreboard and held MSUB to just three runs to claim their second win of the series. 

Ethan Buckley from the Wildcats had three at-bats with two hits and two runs in game two and Swenson and Conrad Henkel having four at-bats with two hits and two runs. Garet Hagy pitched five innings allowing five runs and six hits while striking out two. 

The next day CWU and MSUB returned to the diamond for another doubleheader where the Wildcats once again pulled ahead early in the game as they scored four runs in the second inning. Montana scored two runs in the fifth with an RBI single from Ryker Fortier and two runs in the seventh to tie up the game and after both teams scored in the eighth, MSUB scored one in the bottom of the ninth to walk off and give the Wildcats their first loss of the series 5-6.  

According to a statement from MSUB Athletics, Montana leaned on timely hitting and late-inning execution to earn the victory.  

Max Bledy and Henkel led the Wildcats in the third game, recording two RBIs, one hit and scoring a run followed by Jonathan Rominger recording one RBI and a hit. Kyler Malnar pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs, four hits and struck out one. 

The Wildcats rallied back for the final game of the weekend where they scored two runs in the third, a run in the fourth and five runs in the fifth. CWU scored again in the top of the sixth and added two runs in the top of the seventh all while holding MSUB scoreless until the bottom of the seventh when Jason Wright hit a home run to score two. This would not be enough to cut the gap and the Wildcats claimed an 11-2 victory. 

Henkel, Hernandez and Jonathan Rominger led with two RBIs each while Henkel led with three hits and two runs scored. Camdyn Martindale pitched seven innings, allowing two runs, nine hits and struck out five. 

The Wildcats return home for their next four-game series with Western Oregon on Friday with the first game scheduled for noon. 

BOX SCORES 

GAME ONE 

CWU: 2-1-0-0-4-0-0-0-2: 9 

MSUB: 0-4-0-0-0-0-0-1: 6 

GAME TWO 

CWU: 1-0-3-1-0-1-4: 10 

MSUB: 1-0-0-0-0-4-3: 8 

GAME THREE 

CWU: 0-4-0-0-0-0-0-1-0: 5 

MSUB: 0-0-0-0-2-0-2-1-1: 6 

GAME FOUR 

CWU: 0-0-2-1-5-1-2: 11 

MSUB: 0-0-0-0-0-0-2: 2