GNAC teams won two midweek cross-divisional games.
Western Oregon 6, Bushnell 5
The Wolves led this all the way, starting off with an RBI double by Cedric Gatter (transfer from Skagit Valley College) and an RBI single by John Oleson (transfer from Ventura College). They led 6-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Beacons made it a one-run game with a three-run home run by Jeff Fripp. The Beacons had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but a great catch in center field by Levi Cummings of a line drive hit by pinch-hitter Ethan Stacy (Sydney, Australia, transfer from Lower Columbia College) ended the game.
The Beacons missed some other chances to put runs on the board. In the bottom of the sixth, they had two players caught stealing.
The Wolves used seven pitchers, the Beacons six. The Wolves’ starter, Curran Mitzel, went two innings, allowed one run on four hits, and got the win. Box score
Central Washington 7, Eastern Oregon 3
The Wildcats got all the runs they needed in the first inning. Travis Helm got it started when he reached on an error, and Charlie Larson scored. Then, Ben Leid hit a three-run home run, providing the winning run. The Mountaineers didn’t get on the board until the sixth inning, when Justin Duso hit a two-RBI double. That got them as close as 5-2, but the Wildcats added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. They committed four errors, but they resulted in only one unearned run. They used seven pitchers; Zach Conners pitched the first three innings, allowed one hit, struck out four, got the win. Box score
