If the GNAC had a time machine, they’d likely go back and change Central and Saint Martin’s University’s matchup this weekend to the final series of the season.

This weekend’s series may be the deciding factor in who wins the conference regular season title.

Over the weekend, Saint Martin’s (31-10 overall, 14-4 GNAC) swept their four game series against Northwest Nazarene University to stay on top of the GNAC. Central (29-10, 13-7) swept their weekend series against a struggling Montana State University Billings squad as well.

Central remains two games behind Saint Martin’s for first place in the GNAC, with a four-game home-and-home series with the Saints this weekend.

“I got a chance to watch them down in Turlock,” said head coach Mike Larabee. “Scrappy team, well-coached, they know there’s quite a bit on the line too. I manage it’s going to be just a war.”

Last weekend was pure domination for the Wildcats. They won 8-0 in both games Friday afternoon, forcing the mercy rule for the first time this season in both games. Junior first basemen Kailyn Campbell went four for six, including an inside the park home run.

“She was squaring some balls up,” Larabee said. “She had a great weekend.”

The Wildcats continued their hot play Saturday, winning both games of a doubleheader, 11-4 and 11-3. Redshirt senior Austin Wilkerson went five for six with three doubles and five RBIs  that day.

Larabee gave his players Sunday and Monday off to recuperate both mentally and physically away from the game.

“We have four days to prepare for Saint Martin’s,” Larabee said. “That’s plenty of time.”

Junior shortstop Taylor Ferleman compared Central having seven seniors to Saint Martin’s two.

“I think that makes a huge difference,” Ferleman said. “When you have two you don’t have much senior leadership, you don’t have much experience.”

Saint Martin’s is the best pitching team in the conference with a team ERA of 2.52. Freshman Loryn Williams is the top pitcher in the GNAC so far. She is 11-3 with a 2.07 ERA and 11 complete games, with a .237 batting average against.

“The pitchers we’ve faced in Vegas and Turlock are probably close to, if not better, so I think those pitchers have prepared us,” Campbell said.

Sophomore Kim Nelson splits pitching duties with Williams. She has an 11-6 record with a 2.53 ERA and 10 complete games.

“You don’t change your swing according to the pitcher,” Ferleman said. “You just go up there and have that mentality you’re going to get a hit and you’re going to beat that pitcher.”

The Saints pitchers use their control to stay ahead of batters.

“They walk about one player per game, so they’re always around the plate,” Larabee said.

The Saints are third in the GNAC with a .318 batting average, nine points behind the GNAC leading Wildcats.

Central needs to be careful with junior outfielder Mary Dettling, Saint Martin’s top offensive player, who is hitting .402 while being patient enough at-the-plate to work 20 walks. Another Saints player to watch for is freshman Lauren Diuco. She’s hitting .373 with 20 RBIs.

Central is led offensively by Campbell who is hitting .423, good for fourth in the GNAC. Wilkerson compliments her in the lineup with a .381 batting average and 13 doubles.

“For me I need to get a good pitch to hit and swing hard all the time, and finish my swing, and if I do that I can barrel up a lot of the balls,” Campbell said.

The Wildcats are the second best pitching team in the GNAC with a 2.79 ERA, led by freshman Kayla Smith, junior Kiana Wood and senior Brielle Copodonna.

Larabee said he is likely going with Wood in game one of the series.

“She had a little bit of a tough streak, but she worked her way out of it,” Larabee said. “When she’s locating, she’s awfully tough.”

Fielding wise, the Wildcats and Saints are similar.  Central leads the GNAC with a .965 fielding percentage and Saint Martin’s is in third with a .956 percentage.

“Our entire infield [Alexa] Olague, [Taylor] Ferleman, [Andrea] Hamada and Kailyn [Campbell], they’ve been playing lights out,” Larabee said.

The first half of the Saint Martin’s series will be the Wildcats final home games of the season.