Baseball | 3/13/2010 5:25:48 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 [Game 1 box score] [Game 2 box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon University baseball team split its home-opener with Montana State Billings, Saturday, Mar. 13. The Wolves took game one 10-0 behind Michael Ward before dropping the nightcap 4-3.

WOU is now 9-10 on the season and 4-2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Meanwhile, MSU Billings moved to 3-3 in conference and to 4-11 overall.

Game 1
Michael Ward (3-1) struck out 10 Yellowjackets and allowed only two hits over eight innings to lead WOU to a 10-0 win in game one.

This was Ward second straight dominating outing after he shut down Northwest Nazarene last Friday (Mar. 5) in the Wolves' GNAC-opener. He did not allow a runner past second base all game and did not give up a hit after the third inning.

"Ward has a good job getting ahead of hitters which allows him to use his other pitches," Western Oregon head coach Jeremiah Robbins explained. "He has the resiliency to get deep into games by doing that all year."

He received lots of support from the Wolves' offense early in the game as WOU built a 10-0 lead after five. WOU put up a four-spot in the first inning as it batted around. After the first two batters reached base on a hit-by-pitch Daniel Dillard homered to left field to put the Wolves in front 3-0. They added one more on a fielder's choice by Joe Pratt to score Kyle Boe.

Western Oregon scored four more in the third on a two-run single by Logan Lotti, a double by Garrett Breda and a sacrifice fly by Cesar Lopez.

It tacked on single runs in the fourth and the fifth for the final margin of victory.

"Our hitters came out focused early," Robbins continued. "We came in with a gameplan and executed it well."

Dillard led the offense by going 3-for-5 with the three-run homer and two runs scored. Jason Moseby, Lotti and Boe recorded two hits apiece for the Wolves, while Lopez and Lotti both added two RBI.

However, after the fifth inning the Wolves' offense went stale and it seemed to affect them in game two.

"We lost our focus late and it carried over (to game two)," Robbins explained. "We need to play 16 innings not just nine."

Game 2
Kody Kennedy went the distance to lead Montana State Billings to its first win in Monmouth in two seasons. He gave up six hits and three runs while walking four and striking out in seven innings as MSU Billings claimed the 4-3 victory.

The Yellowjackets offense was able to grind out four runs, two of which were unearned, against reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year Blake Keitzman to get the win. They put up three in the third thanks to a Wolves' error and passed ball before adding the game-winner in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Matt Schoonover.

Keitzman (2-2) pitched well in the loss as he struck out six and walked one while allowing six hits in a complete game performance.

After falling behind 3-0 after the top of the third, Western Oregon tied the game with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Jason Moseby walked and Kyle Boe singled to put runners at first and second for Logan Lotti. Lotti then put down a sacrifice bunt which Kennedy fielded and threw over the head of the first baseman allowing both runners to score. Logan Lotti then came home on a single by Andrew Irvine to knot the game at 3-3.

However, the Yellowjackets answered right back in the top half of the fifth, as Jeff Ridgeway doubled to leadoff the inning and eventually scored on the sac fly by Schoonover.

The Wolves would have their chances to tie up the game by putting runners on base each of the next three innings, but they could not get the run-scoring hit to tie up the game.

"We had our chances (to come back) but we need to find a way to keep our mental focus," Robbins noted. "We are not a home run hitting team. We need to play for singles and doubles. Home runs will come from good swings."

Kyle Boe had two of the Wolves' six hits and also added a run scored. Andrew Irvine had the team's only RBI.

Brian Dukart went 3-for-3 for the Yellowjackets and Jeff Ridgeway scored two runs.

Next game
These teams will complete their four-game series tomorrow (Mar. 14) with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Coach Robbins knows his team must come out with more focus if they hope to win the series. "We need to show up tomorrow with a team that wants to do something," he explained. "We have been too complacent and we need to start making things happen.

"If we come to the park with the right passion and focus we are a good team," Robbins continued, "if not we are just an average team"