Baseball | 3/6/2011 5:36:57 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. – For the second straight day, the Western Oregon University baseball team followed the same formula en route to sweeping Central Washington in a doubleheader on Sunday (Mar. 6).

In the opener the Wolves received timely hitting to earn a 7-6 win. WOU then rode a complete game shutout by one of its senior starting pitchers to complete the four-game sweep with a 4-1 victory.

The wins moved the Wolves (10-6) to top of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at 4-0. WOU has now won 16 straight home games. The losses dropped the Wildcats to 4-8 on the season and 0-4 in the GNAC.

“Obviously you want to get a series sweep whenever you can at home,” explained Western Oregon head coach Jeremiah Robbins. “Everyone thinks that us being the favorites means we are going to come in and blow out teams in the GNAC, but that is not the case. This league is very competitive.”

Aaron Headrick went 6-for-7 with three doubles and three runs batted in the twin-bill. He also added a stolen base and two runs scored.

“He is consistent and puts the ball in play,” said Robbins. “A lot of those at-bats he was down 0-2 or 1-2 and found a way to get back in them and get a hit. It was a very good weekend for him.”

Game 1
Eric Copenhagen's go-ahead, three-run triple with two outs in the eighth was part of Western Oregon's six-run rally to comeback and defeat Central Washington 7-6.

The Wolves trailed the Wildcats for the second straight day entering the eighth inning. This time they found themselves down by three (4-1) but a trio of extra base hits would prove to be the difference. After Michael Chiarelli and Daniel Dillard had led off the inning with singles, Aaron Headrick stepped into the box with one out and lined Jake Millbauer's offering down the left field line to drive in two and bring the Wolves within one (4-3).

After another out was recorded Andre Royal and Griffin Boyd received back to back walks to bring up Copenhagen with the bases loaded. On the first pitch he saw, Copenhagen laced the ball into the right-center field gap to clear the bases and give the Wolves the lead (6-4). Grant Glover would give Western Oregon a much needed insurance run on a double which plated Copenhagen from third.

“We talk to our guys about the game never being over until the final out is made,” noted Robbins. “Eric's at-bats yesterday were really good and today he was able to get a solid pitch in the eighth to clear the bases and let us breathe a little bit.”

Western Oregon would need all those runs as Central Washington battled back with two in the ninth and had a runner in scoring position before coach Robbins went to his bullpen for Brad Carter. The senior from Federal Way, Wash. (Decatur High School) faced just one batter but was able to induce the ground out back to the mound to complete his second save of the season.

Ian MacDougall (2-0) picked up his second win of the weekend as he worked a scoreless seventh and eighth, while striking out three and allowing just one hit.

Copenhagen and Aaron Headrick each had three RBI to lead the Wolves. Headrick and Michael Chiarelli each went 3-for-4, while Glover and Copenhagen added two hits apiece. Five of the Wolves 12 hits in the game went for extra bases.

Game 2
Cam Nobles pitched a complete game, allowing one run and six hits while allowing five strike outs to lead the Wolves to a 4-1 win.

“Nobles' performance was huge because that fourth game is always that grind game,” noted Robbins. “The guys were focused but getting that outing from Cam let our hitters adjust a little bit. It was a very dominant performance by him.”

All but one of the Western Oregon's starters had a hit, led by Aaron Headrick's 3-for-3 performance. Griffin Boyd also posted a multi-hit game for the Wolves.

Central jumped out to a lead with a run in the top of the second, but the Wolves had the response, as they put up two in their half of the inning. Bo Folkinga started the inning off with a single, and then reached third on the double by Aaron Headrick. He would come in to score and tie up the game on a passed ball. Western Oregon would take a lead, which it would never relinquish, on Austin Potter's single through the left side that scored Headrick from third.

Western Oregon added two insurance runs in the sixth on a pair of unearned runs. With Potter on first base, Andre Royal hit a grounder up the third base line and CWU's third baseman's throw airmailed the first baseman allowing Potter to score and Royal to reach third base. He would come in to score when the next batter, Griffin Boyd, singled to center.

The Wolves had two steals in the game and 13 for the weekend, while holding Central Washington without a stolen base.

Next games
The Western Oregon baseball team will now prepare to host Chico State, Mar. 12-14. The perennial California Collegiate Athletic Association power will be in town for a four-game set starting Friday. The teams will play a single game Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.