BILLINGS, Mont. – Visiting Central Washington swept a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Montana State Billings Saturday afternoon on Yellowjacket Senior Day.  The Wildcats won the opener 18-5 and took the nightcap 5-3 as they led wire-to-wire.

Prior to the game, the Yellowjackets (18-25, 9-19 GNAC) honored 11 seniors playing in their final games at home in a Yellowjacket uniform.  The 2011 senior class includes: Tyler Gilder, Brian Howe, Kody Kennedy, Jordan Kessler, Sam Kinzeler, Jeff Ridgeway, Andrew Sanchez, Archie Smith, Chris Stine, Jacob Vulk and Kevin Zukaitis.

The Wildcats (14-32, 7-25 GNAC) came roaring back after being swept in the doubleheader Friday, plating eight runs in two innings highlighted by a two run home run and a two RBI single by Eric Sorensen as the Wildcats batted around in the second scoring seven runs on eight hits in the frame.  CWU scored a single run in the first on a balk.

Central Washington then added five more runs in the third as all nine batters came to the plate.  Sorensen, who was hitting .103 for the season coming in, laced his third hit of the game and plated two more runs helping to build the lead to 13-0.  It was his sixth RBI of the game and was a triple short of the cycle to that point.

The Wildcats built the lead to 18-0, but the Jackets continued to fight and ended Jake Millbauer's shutout bid as sophomore Brady Chavez belted a two run double for his first hit of his Yellowjacket career in the bottom of the seventh.  Chavez then scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Austin Rue helped out by two Wildcat miscues for an 18-3 score.

Senior Jeff Ridgeway belted his seventh career triple moving into second all-time in school history by himself, breaking a tie with former Yellowjackets Stefan Malkuch and Doug Longfellow, plating a run for an 18-4 score in the bottom of the eighth.  Former Yellowjacket Cole Pryor owns the school record with eight career triples.  The Jackets added another run in the frame on a wild pitch for an 18-5 deficit.

Chavez led the way offensively for the Jackets going 1 for 3 with two RBI, a double and a run scored. Senior Jordan Kessler, Ridgeway and Robison each had two hits for the Jackets.  Junior Zachary Smith (3-4) took the loss in as he went just 1.2 innings, allowing nine hits and eight earned runs. 

Sorensen led the way for the Wildcats going 4 for 5 with a run scored and six RBI.  CWU belted 20 hits on the day as it had seven players collect multiple hits.  Glen Reser was 3 for 7 with five RBI and two runs scored.

Millbauer went eight innings allowing nine hits, five runs – three earned and four strikeouts as he improved to 3-5 on the year. 

A one out triple by Jimmy Ryerson, followed by a RBI sacrifice fly, a single and a RBI double by Kris Henderson got the Wildcats off to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first of the nightcap. 

In the bottom of the frame, Ridgeway belted a two out double, followed by a single from Robison and a RBI single from freshman Dillon Ness for a 2-1 score.  The Wildcats responded in the top of the second with three more runs courtesy of a double and two RBI singles for a 5-1 lead.

MSUB came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Robison and Ness each hit RBI singles for a 5-3 deficit.

The Wildcats had a good scoring opportunity in the sixth as they loaded the bases.  After a pitching change by the Yellowjackets, senior Brian Howe came in and got the next batter to pop to second to end the threat.  Junior hurler, Brian Hutchings, settled down after surrendering five runs in the first two innings and pitched 5.2 innings allowing 10 hits, five earned runs, three walks and he fanned four.

Howe got help from a mental mistake by the Wildcats to get out of the seventh unscathed.  Sorensen hit single to right and turned to head to second as a runner was rounding third, but Sorensen couldn't make it back to first as a heads up play by the Yellowjackets from Zukaitis to Rue to Z. Smith for the out and ended threat.

Ness led the way for the Jackets in the nightcap, going 2 for 4 with two RBI.  Robison and Ridgeway also had two hits each.  Four Wildcats had two hits each, while Chaz Ocbina tallied a team-high two RBI.

Brandon Rohde (2-7) earned the win for the Wildcats on the mound as he went the distance allowing seven hits, three earned runs, no walks and six strikeouts. 

The Yellowjackets will conclude the 2011 season next Friday and Saturday at Western Oregon in the season finale.