Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

Bryce Hjellum pitched a six-hitter in the opener and Joel Oliver drove in three runs in the nightcap as Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene divided a GNAC baseball doubleheader Friday at Tomlinson Field.

Hjellum walked two and fanned four as the Wildcats (3-11, 1-1) won their conference opener 7-4.  Northwest Nazarene (8-11, 2-4), however, used a four-run first inning and banged out 16 hits to win the nightcap 9-4.

Hjellum gave up two runs in the sixth and ninth, but just one hit in the other seven innings in earning his first collegiate win in four decisions. CWU had 10 hits including three by second baseman Keola Rubin.

Rubin scored one run and drove in two. His two-run triple was the big blow in a four-run CWU second. Kevin Schneider also had two RBI homering to start the second and then singling to end CWU's scoring in the seventh.

The Wildcats also got two hits from Brett Bielec, including a RBI single in the second. Oliver drove in two of NNU's runs with a ninth inning home run.

In the second game, Oliver singled for two runs in the first. He doubled to start a three-run fifth. He later added a RBI single in the sixth to key the Crusader victory.

First baseman Jon Keller and designated hitter Connor Rankin also had three hits for NNU to back the pitching of Jesse Gwaltney, who allowed six hits and all four CWU runs in six innings. Gwaltney evened his record at 2-2.

Schneider had two of CWU's six hits including his second home run of the day to lead off the second.

The teams will play another league doubleheader tomorrow at Noon.