Baseball | 4/7/2012 7:21:00 PM

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

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Western Oregon baseball team swept a doubleheader from Montana State Billings on Saturday (Apr. 7) by taking game one 10-4 and game two 5-1.

The Wolves (22-7, 11-1 GAC) moved five games up in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with the wins. WOU has now won six straight games and 16 in a row at home dating back to last season.

Game 1
Blake Miller went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and three runs batted to help lift Western Oregon to a 10-4 win in game one.

Grady Wood (8-0) picked up his 16th straight win dating back to last season by throwing seven innings. He allowed eight hits and four runs while striking out 10. Wood's 16 straight wins ties him for the ninth-longest streak in NCAA Division II history, and it is the longest since 2002.

The Wolves' offense would once again stake Wood to an early lead. They scored three in the first inning as Matt Nylen, AJ Royal and Kyle Blackwell each picked up an RBI. WOU would add single runs in the second and third innings to go up 5-0.

MSU Billings answered with two runs in the fourth on a home run by Blake Nelson. This was the first home run Wood surrendered in 155.2 innings pitched at Western Oregon. The Yellowjackets would tack on two more in the fifth to cut the Wolves' lead to 5-4.

Western Oregon answered right back with two in the bottom of the fifth as Bo Folkinga, Kyle Blackwell and Brady Locker each doubled. Miller would put the Wolves up 10-4 in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run homer to left field that just cleared the glove of the leaping Yellowjackets' outfielder.

Ian MacDougall would pitch the last two innings of the game without allowing a hit, while striking out two, to seal the win.

Blackwell recorded three RBI of his own, which included two well placed sacrifice flies to right field. Mike Gange had two hits and two runs scored.

Western Oregon left just four runners on base in the game, and nine of its 10 hits went for extra bases.

Game 2
Travis Bradshaw and Jason Wilson combined to hold Montana State Billings to one run and four hits to lift Western Oregon to the sweep with a 5-1 win in game two.

Bradshaw (6-1) went the first 4.1 innings allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven. He was cruising into the fifth inning but MSU Billings loaded the bases with one out and coach Jeremiah Robbins went to his bullpen for Jason Wilson.

Wilson came into the game and struck out the next two batters, including Ty Gilmore, who entered the weekend tied for the GNAC lead in batting average, to diffuse the rally. Wilson would pitch the final 2.2 innings allowing one hit and one run while striking out six to pick up his first career save.

Western Oregon once again got early offense and never trailed in the game. WOU scored two in the first on a sacrifice fly by AJ Royal which brought in Matt Nylen from third base and allowed Blake Miller to come all the way around from second after the throw from the outfield went softly towards second base.

The Wolves added a single run in the second on a solo home run by Griff Boyd. They would tack on two more in the fifth on a double by Bo Folkinga and a throwing error by the Yellowjackets' catcher.

Next games
These teams will meet for another doubleheader on Sunday, Apr. 8th at Noon to conclude the series.