CWU baseball lost three out of the four games in the final series of the season against Montana State University Billings (MSUB) this past weekend. CWU (14-35) finished the year in fifth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) standings and won’t qualify for the GNAC tournament that begins on May 12.

Day One

The series started with back-to-back losses on Thursday, May 5 by the counts of 7-4 and 12-11.

In game one of the doubleheader, CWU took the lead in the top of the first inning when junior center fielder Adam Fahsel stole home plate to give CWU a 1-0 lead.

At the bottom of the first inning, MSUB hit three doubles while walking in between to score three runs to take a 3-1 lead.

MSUB added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning due to three straight two out hits that led to two runs being scored and them taking a 5-1 lead.

Freshman first baseman Drew Richardson let CWU cut the lead 5-2 in the top of the fourth inning, 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, MSUB scored two runs when a flyball was caught by the CWU outfielder but a run scored and a bases loaded walk made the score 7-2.

The lead would be cut down to 7-4 with a run in the sixth inning and one in the eighth inning. 

Game two of the doubleheader started with CWU once again scoring in the top of the first inning on a solo home run by Fahsel to give them a 1-0 lead. 

A three-run home run by junior outfielder Tyler McClain in the top of the third extended CWU’s lead to 4-0.

MSUB would come back, scoring one in the bottom of the third and fifth innings to take a 6-4 lead. An RBI single by senior designated hitter Michael Peter allowed CWU to cut the lead to 6-5.

MSUB would tack on three more in the bottom of the inning to extend their lead to 9-5.

CWU would then score one in the sixth inning to shrink the lead to 9-6. They would then score five in the top of the seventh inning due to a two run double by sophomore catcher Austin Ohland and another three-run home run by McClain.

A three run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed MSUB to take the lead and eventually hold on to win the game 12-11.

Day Two

On Friday, May 6, CWU won one out of the last two regular season games to close out their season. They won the first game 17-12 and lost the final game 9-8.

Junior infielder Charlie Larson got the scoring started for CWU with a RBI single in the first inning. Three runs would score in the inning to get CWU off to a 3-0 lead.

After MSUB scored four times in the bottom of the first inning, CWU responded in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Ohland to tie the game at 4-4.

MSUB scored six combined in the second, third and fifth innings to take a 10-4 lead. CWU scored one in the seventh inning on a McClain steal of home, 10 runs in the eighth inning and two in the ninth inning which included three RBIs by Fahsel in those innings to give CWU a 17-12 victory.

CWU’s final game of the season resulted in a 9-8 loss in seven innings. MSUB scored all nine of their runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings of this game.

CWU didn’t score until the top of the sixth inning, where they scored three runs due to a two run single by senior outfielder Michael Copeland to cut the lead to 9-3.

Even though they rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning due in part to a three run home run by Copeland to cut the lead to 9-8, CWU wouldn’t be able to push the tying run across and ended the season losing 9-8.