The Central Wildcats baseball team hopes the long ride over won’t be the only drive they’re associated with as they take on the Montana State University Billings Yellow Jackets in a big four game series.

As the playoffs loom closer, each game takes on even more significance for every team in the hunt.

“Every game is important from here on out,” pitching coach Rob Hippi said. “We can’t go on anymore four or five game losing streaks this year.”

The Wildcats enter the series three and a half games back of the Yellow Jackets for second place in the GNAC with just eight conference games remaining for the Wildcats after the series.

“We know we can get to their bullpen. We’re better than them there.”

The team hopes the success from last Saturday carries over, when they were able to salvage a split against Western Oregon, taking the final two games of the four game series.

“We finally felt like we played to our capabilities,” said Darren Honeysett, junior outfielder. “Hopefully we can carry that into this weekend.”

Honeysett went six for 16 in the last series driving in four runs and hitting a home run in the final game.

The task won’t be easy for the Wildcats as the Yellow Jackets lead the GNAC in multiple hitting categories: batting average, home runs, runs batted in, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and walks.

The Wildcats will try and counter that with junior Zach Johnson, sophomore Mitch Yada and junior Dustin Hamilton who are slated to pitch the first three games of the series. Reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year senior Cory Welch is a probable starter for game four.

“We gotta start where we left off this weekend,” Welch said. “It’s all about confidence for us right now.”

Welch earned a victory tossing a complete game on Saturday against Western Oregon. He faced the Yellow Jackets earlier this season getting a no decision over 6 and 1/3 innings giving up three runs – two of them earned – in a Wildcat victory.

The Wildcats will look to attack the strike zone as Hippi highlighted the pitching staff’s “on or off in three pitches” mentality.

Pitching may also be key for the Yellow Jackets. For as good as they are at the plate, they match that with ineptitude when toeing the rubber.

They rank at the bottom of the GNAC conference with a team earned run average of 6.60.

“We know we can get to their bullpen,” Honeysett said. “We’re better than them there.”

That was evident in the teams’ earlier meeting as the Wildcats put up 32 runs over the four-game-split.