ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Western Oregon University baseball team defeated the Central Washington University Wildcats, 9-5 and 8-0, behind consistent scoring in the first game Sunday and a three-hit shutout in the finale. The wins sealed the Wolves' first conference road sweep in Ellensburg since 2010.
 
WOU led from the opening inning thanks to a three-run home run by Nick Snyder, his third, and built a 4-0 cushion after three innings. The Wolves never trailed and brought home five runs over the final four innings as insurance in victory.
 
Western Oregon totaled 10 hits in Sunday's early game led by Brandon Oliver (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Oliver (1-for-4, 4 RBI). The Wolves also took advantage of four CWU errors in the game.
 
Darrien Moran (2-3) earned his first win since February 13, allowing five runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings, while fellow southpaw Jacob Fricke scattered a pair of hits over the final two innings. Receiving the loss for CWU was McKenzie Gaul (1-3) who surrendered four runs and walked five.
 
Central scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut into the WOU lead, but the Wolves answered back with two runs in the sixth inning to recapture the momentum of the game for good. Cody Poznanski was plunked by a pitch and Brock Pradere earned a walk. Then, a double from Erik Long brought in the lead runners as WOU seized a 6-2 advantage over the Wildcats.
 
Cody Sullivan blasted his fifth home of the year adding to the WOU lead in the seventh. Oliver singled, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the eighth. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Snyder. Another RBI hit from Jay Leverett posted another run in the ninth. Fricke induced a ground ball and a fly ball before striking out the last batter for the 9-5 win.
 
In the series finale, Sullivan and Kyle Vanderkin combined to go 6-for-8 with 4 RBI as the Wolves marked their third shutout win of the season.
 
Overall, the Wolves totaled nine hits in the seven-inning game.
 
Gary Steindorf (1-2) pitched a gem for WOU. He hurled seven scoreless innings, striking out five, while allowing just three hits. Jake Lake (3-3) allowed six runs on six hits in four innings to take the loss for Central Washington.
 
WOU scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to the early lead on the Wildcats. Oliver drew a walk with two outs and scored from first on a RBI double from Snyder. Sullivan followed with a run-scoring single to right field.
 
The Wolves the pushed ahead by four with a RBI single by Vanderkin and a sacrifice fly from Joey Crunkilton.
 
Western Oregon proceeded to back up its two-run fourth inning with three more in the fifth. WOU loaded the bags as Long reached on an error, Oliver singled and Snyder walked. Sullivan cashed in Long with a hit and Nathan Etheridge got Oliver in with a sac fly. Vanderkin followed with his second RBI hits in consecutive innings to build a 7-0 lead.
 
The Wolves went on to add one more run unearned run in the sixth via three CWU errors.
 
Steindorf did not allow a runner past second base. Despite a four-pitch walk leading off the CWU seventh, he immediately induced a ground ball double play and followed with a fly out to complete the Wolves' four-game sweep.
 
Western Oregon begins the second half of GNAC play next weekend when they host Concordia University-Portland for a four-game series beginning Saturday, April 9 at 1 p.m. at the WOU Baseball Field.