Baseball | 3/21/2013 11:55:00 AM

BASEBALL - WESTERN OREGON AT SAINT MARTIN'S
Saturday, March 23 - Lacey, Wash. - 4:00 p.m. (DH) - Regional Athletic Complex
Sunday, March 24 - Lacey, Wash. - 12:00 p.m. (DH) - Saints Field

LIVE STATS: None

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon baseball team returns to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this week as the Wolves travel to Lacey, Wash., for the start of a four-game series against Saint Martin's with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23, at 4:00 p.m. The series with the Saints concludes with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 24, at 12:00 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader time has been changed as the game will be played at the Regional Athletic Complex.

WOU enters the conference series with a record of 11-11 overall and 6-2 in league play after the Wolves dropped three games at nationally-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay last week. WOU currently stands one-game behind Central Washington in the league race.

The Wolves enter the important four-game set against the Saints with the second ranked pitching staff in the conference as WOU sports a 4.01 team ERA while holding opponents to a league-leading .259 batting average. Spenser Watkins leads three WOU starters ranked in the top 10 in the league in ERA as the right-hander has posted a 3-3 record and ranks third in the GNAC with a 3.31 ERA. 

Meanwhile, Zach Nuno (3-1, 3.38 ERA) and A.J. Burke (1-3, 3.66 ERA) also rank in the top seven in the GNAC in earned run average.

Offensively, WOU hits .251 as a team and is led by Daniel McNabb as the centerfielder leads the Wolves and the conference with a .378 batting average. The junior ranks near the top of several league offensive categories, including on-base percentage (2nd, .448), runs scored (7th, 16), RBI (3rd, 18) and total bases (7th, 39).

Blake Miller is also off to a strong start offensively as he ranks third on the team with a .302 average while ranking second on the Wolves with 13 RBI.

SMU enters the weekend in last-place in the league standings as the Saints are 3-19 overall and 1-7 in conference play after getting swept at CWU last weekend. The Saints hit .234 as a team with Travis Shaw leading the way with a .333 batting average and 12 RBI.

The Saints have struggled in the circle during the first-half of the season as SMU ranks last in the  league with a 7.05 team ERA. Brendan Jeffers leads SMU on the mound, posting a 1-3 record and 4.54 ERA over six starts.

Last season, WOU went 7-1 against the Saints, winning three-of-four in Lacey.

Following the weekend series, WOU will return to action on Friday, March 29, when the Wolves host Central Washington for the start of a four-game series at 1:00 p.m.