SEATTLE  The Whitman bats seem to like the back half of doubleheaders as the Blues earned a split of a twinbill Sunday by knocking around six Centre (Ky.) College pitchers in an 11-5 victory that earned the Blues a split on the day, after they dropped the opener 10-7 on the concluding day of the Bud Kight Memorial Series at Safeco Field.

In six doubleheaders this season Whitman (8-6) has earned second-game wins each time. Twice over the weekend at Safeco the Blues earned the split with Centre (8-2) by taking the nightcap each day.

Though Whitman put the win away Sunday with eight runs in the third and fourth innings, it might be Adrian Vela's rocket to left-center field that leaves fans talking. His second home run of the season came in the bottom of the seventh and was one of those shots where the outfielder needn't have turned, or instead gave fruitless chase to an unyielding outfield wall to show effort.

By that time, though, the hay was in the barn.

A two-RBI single from Joseph Zimmer and an ensuing RBI-single from Vela sparked the three-run third for Whitman.

Five more runs crossed the plate in the next inning, though they were quieter runs as Whitman batters worked Centre pitching for a pair of walks, a hit batter and just an RBI-single from Anthony Lim and two-RBI double by Zimmer to bounce back from three runs surrendered to Centre in the top of the fourth.

Two more runs came home in the bottom of the eighth as Court Osborne worked for a bases loaded walk and Brett Williams followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Jasper Crusberg for the 10th run.

Lim, Zimmer and Vela -- the 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the order -- each collected two hits in the win, with Zimmer accruing four RBI while Vela batted in a pair.

Braden Hussey (1-0) relieved starter Henry Lin with two outs in the fourth and earned the win by pitching 1 and 1/3 scoreless innings while the Whitman bats were battering the Colonels staff.

Centre starter Sam Shelley (0-1) took the loss after surrendering six runs on eight hits, three walks and a hit batter.

Sunday's opener was a bit of the opposite of the nightcap for Whitman.

Centre jumped on Blues starter Eric Ma for six runs in three innings to stake claim to the lead.

Whitman battled back to pull even, 7-7, in the bottom of the fifth, however.

Consecutive singles from Alec Rainsford, Cole Edwards and Brett Williams sparked a four-run fourth, and a pair of walks to Crusberg and Rainsford in the fifth leading to RBI singles from Williams and Lim in the fifth lifted Whitman back of its early hole.

But the Colonels scored an unearned run in the sixth to take the lead, then added one each in the seventh and ninth to create some breathing room in their eventual victory.

Milo Mincin (0-1) the second reliever after Ma ended up taking the loss, surrendering the first two of the final three Centre runs late in the game.

Third baseman David Johnson pounded out three hits for the Blues but was left stranded once, was forced out at home once, and was on base in an inning-ending double play the third time.

Lim and Zimmer picked up two RBI each in the loss.

Whitman leaves its home away from home at Safeco for an away Northwest Conference series Saturday and Sunday at Willamette University, playing doubleheaders both days.