ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats (12-29) earned key wins over Montana State University-Billings on Saturday, 13-3 and 10-9 in a doubleheader matchup, according to a statement by CWU Athletics. 

“It came down to doing the little things right all weekend, and this team showed up for it. Mia Flores (was) absolutely clutch. A senior weekend to remember, they fought for every inch, every out, every moment ... never backing down when it got tough,” CWU Head Coach Ronnie Ladines said.  

Game one 

According to their release, the Wildcats struck early in the bottom of the first when Kasi Thomas singled to left field to score McKayla Cable, followed by Izzy Vargas singling to center field to score Thomas and the senior Flores singling to right field which scored Brooke Baker and made it 3-0 CWU. 

The Yellowjackets answered in the top of the second when Cazz Rankosky doubled to left field to score Alexis Tovar and Kendall Klemp and cut it to a 3-2 CWU game. 

Thomas led the response in the bottom of the second when she singled to third base to score Melise Brown followed by Baker and Vargas sacrificing themselves back-to-back to the center fielder to score Thomas and Cable and concluding with Flores smashing a home run to left field to score Brusseau in the process to break it open to an 8-2 CWU lead. 

Thomas followed Flores in the bottom of the third with a homer of her own to also score Cable and was followed by Baker scoring due to an error by the pitcher to make it an 11-2 CWU game. 

Reese Anderson tacked on two more in the fourth inning with a single to third base to score Thomas and Cable and make it a 13-2 CWU lead. 

Wynter Hurst wrapped up the scoring for the game as she hit a home run to left field, but the 'Cats would earn the five inning 13-3 victory to earn the series victory.  

According to MSUB Athletics, the Yellowjackets totaled seven hits in the game, with Hurst going 1-3 with a run and an RBI, while Rankosky would hit 1-2 with a pair of RBIs. Kendall Klemp and Alexis Tovar each hit 1-2 with a run, while Josie Theilen and Marleigh Nieto each hit 1-3, and Emily Brevig hit 1-1. 

Game two 

Klemp hit a home run to center field to put MSUB on the board with a 1-0 score after two innings. 

Marleigh Nieto added on in the third inning with a single to center field to score Josie Theilen and Lina Delgado followed by Hood singling to left field to score Nieto, then Klemp doubling to left center field to score Hood and Destiny Villas to make it a 6-0 MSUB game. 

The Wildcats got on the board in the fourth inning when Flores drew a bases loaded walk to score Brusseau and was followed by Ashlyn Cook sacrificing herself to the center fielder to score Vargas and cut it to a 6-2 MSUB lead. 

Baker got things started for CWU in the fifth with a double to right center field to score Brusseau and Thomas, followed by Flores scoring Baker with a double of her own down the left field line who later scored to tie the game at six apiece due to an error by the third baseman. 

MSUB took the lead once more in the sixth when Theilen singled to second base to score Rankosky followed by Hurst hitting a home run to left field to score Theilen and give the 'Jackets the 9-6 lead heading into the final inning. 

The Wildcats took to the challenge as Joelie Eder sacrificed herself to the center fielder to score Jenna Markuson and an error on the throw home by the catcher gave enough time for Reitz-Eaton to score and make it a 9-8 MSUB game. 

Later in the seventh, a wild pitch by the MSUB pitcher helped score Anderson and tie things up and send the teams to extras. 

Melise Brown walked it off for the 'Cats in the ninth after a fielding error by the second baseman allowed Reitz-Eaton to score and give the 'Cats the weekend sweep by a 10-9 score. 

According to MSUB Athletics, Klemp would finish the game 2-4 with a run and three RBIs, leading a group of four MSUB hitters with multiple hits in the game. Theilen would bat 2-4 with two runs and an RBI, also walking once and stealing a base, Nieto would hit 2-5 with a run and two RBIs, and Lina Delgado would bat 2-3 with a run.  

Hurst would bat 1-5 with two RBIs and a run on her homer, while Destiny Villas would also hit 1-5 with a run. Hood batted 1-4 with a run, an RBI, and a walk, while Cazz Rankosky went 1-2 with a run. Danica Butler would start in the circle, throwing four innings and allowing just three hits and two runs. 

The Wildcats will close their regular season on the road for a four-game weekend series at Northwest Nazarene starting Friday, May 1 at 1 p.m.