Baseball | 4/13/2013 6:23:00 PM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon baseball team completed a key, four-game sweep over Northwest Nazarene with a pair of wins on Saturday afternoon as the Wolves won game one, 7-3, before cruising to a 9-1 victory in game two.
"I was thrilled with the way we came out today and finished the series," head coach
Kellen Walker said. "We were a little shaky in the first game today; but, we made some key pitches and really played well in today's second game. It was a big series and we need to keep the momentum going."
WOU was able to capture game one as Wolves pitching worked out of a number of jams as NNU left 14 runners on base in the loss.
WOU grabbed an early, 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning. The scoring opened when WOU perfectly executed a double steal. As
Blake Miller broke for second base,
Scott David took off to home from third as the throw from the catcher went into centerfield to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead. Miller would eventually score on a wild pitch as WOU carried a two-run advantage into the second.
After NNU tied the game with single runs in the second and fourth, WOU exploded for five runs in the sixth to break the game open. Miller gave the Wolves the lead for good as he opened the scoring with a RBI single to score
Josh Solemsaas.
Matt Nylen would draw a bases loaded walk to score
Kevin Smith as
Tim Rausch followed with a two-run single, scoring David and Miller, to give the Wolves a 6-2 lead.
Kyle Mall capped the scoring with a single down the right-field line to score Nylen as the Wolves led by five going into the final three innings.
The Crusaders were unable to get on the board in the next two innings; however, NNU cut the lead to 7-3 with a run in the ninth and eventually brought the tying run to the plate. WOU reliever
Taylor Hetrick shut the door on the NNU rally; however, as he retired Greg Hata to end the game and give the Wolves the series victory.
A.J. Burke picked up the win for WOU as he improved to 4-3 on the season after allowing only two runs while scattering 10 hits in 7.0 innings of work.
Aaron Vaughn took the loss for NNU, falling to 4-5 on the season, allowing five runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings on the mound.
WOU pounded out 13 hits in the win, led by
Scott David as the catcher went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs.
The Wolves followed up the game one win with a resounding 9-1 victory in game two to improve to 7-1 against the Crusaders this season.
WOU starting pitcher
Zach Nuno was the star in game two as he earned the complete game victory, improving to 4-3 on the season after allowing only one run on five hits while striking out seven.
The Wolves would give Nuno all the run support he would need with a pair of runs in the first inning. Miller opened the scoring with a RBI single up the middle to score David while
Tim Rausch's RBI single to center scored Miller to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead.
WOU would follow with three runs in the second, allowing the Wolves to grab early control of the game. Rausch delivered the key blow as his two-run single made the score 5-0.
The Wolves would extend the lead to 9-0 following RBI hits from
Daniel McNabb, Miller and Nylen with as David added a sacrifice fly as the only question heading into the final inning would be if Nuno could complete the shutout victory.
NNU managed to score a run in the seventh; however, it would not be enough as the Wolves outscored the Crusaders, 24-5, in the series.
Nick Bland took the loss for NNU, falling to 2-3 on the year after allowing six runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Nylen had three of the Wolves 12 hits in the game two win while Miller added two hits, three runs and two RBI for WOU.
The wins put the Wolves two games ahead of Central Washington in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings as WOU is looking for its 12th straight conference title.
WOU will return to action on Friday, April 19, when the Wolves step out of conference play when they host Lewis Clark State for the start of a four-game series at 2:00 p.m.
