Baseball | 2/3/2012 6:01:00 PM

Box Score [Box score]

LA JOLLA, Calif. - Grady Wood and Ian MacDougall combined to hold No. 30 UC San Diego to four hits and one unearned run to lead the No. 33 ranked Western Oregon to an 8-1 win in the season opener for both teams Friday, Feb. 3.

Wood went the first seven innings, allowing just an unearned run in the fourth inning, while striking out six and walking just one to earn the win. He then gave way to MacDougall to start the eighth inning. The lefty came out of the bullpen and threw two scoreless innings, which included four consecutive strike outs, to seal the win and get the save.

The Wolves' offense struggled early but scored eight unanswered runs to end the game to get their first victory in a season opener since 2007. After falling behind 1-0 after the bottom of the fourth, Western Oregon answered with one in the sixth, two in the seventh and five in the ninth.

The Wolves tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth when Josh Solemsaas scored on a wild pitch by Jeff Rauh with one out. This would be the last inning for Rauh, who started the game for the Tritons and struck out 12 batters in six innings, while allowing just two hits and the one run.

After Wood (1-0) answered with a shutdown inning in which he set UCSD down in order, the Wolves would rally off reliever Justin Burns (0-1) for the win.  Bo Folkinga would start the inning off by reaching base on an error by the left fielder. He would come into score the go-ahead run with one out on a single by Griff Boyd. WOU would go on to load the bases on a walk to Solemsaas and a bunt single by AJ Royal, before adding an insurance run on a walk to Eric Copenhagen to make it 3-1.

Western Oregon would put the game away in the ninth with a five run inning. After the first batter of the inning popped out, six straight Wolves would reach base, and Folkinga capped off the scoring with a three-run double to left center.

Folkinga's three RBI led the team, while eight different Wolves crossed home plate for Western Oregon. AJ Royal went 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot, and Griff Boyd was 2-for-5. Copenhagen also added two RBI.

The Wolves and Tritons will continue their series on Saturday, Feb. 4 with a doubleheader beginning at Noon.