Baseball | 2/20/2014 8:45:00 AM

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University baseball team faces another highly-ranked team on the road this weekend at Lewis-Clark State College.

After beating the top-ranked team in NCAA Div. III Linfield College on the road, the Wolves (5-3) are visit the No. 2 ranked team in the NAIA at LCSC. The 16-time NAIA National Champion Warriors return most of their lineup from a team that fell in last year's national championship game.

Lewis-Clark State opened its season with a four-game sweep over fellow Great Northwest Athletic Conference member Montana State Billings. The Warriors (4-0) outscored MSUB, 38-13, in the four victories.

Gunnar Swanson was named the NAIA West Pitcher of the Week Monday. The junior struck out seven in six innings of work and allowed just three hits and one run. He walked none. Swanson's effort led to a fourth game 4-1 victory. Kyle Knigge hit .471 in the series against MSU Billings. He went 8-for-17 at the plate with two doubles and a triple. The senior drove in four runs. Ryan Sells hit two home runs and also brought in four runs.

The Warriors are led by second year Head Coach Jeremiah Robbins. He joined LCSC in 2012 after leading Western Oregon to 252 victories over seven seasons. Robbins guided the Wolves to seven GNAC titles and a 170-34 record in conference play.

Western Oregon climbed five spots in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Div. II West Region Poll. After being picked ninth in the preseason poll, the Wolves moved into the top five at No. 4 in the first week of the regular season poll. Western Oregon has beat then-ranked No. 2 in the region Cal State-Monterey Bay to open the season, then-ranked fourth Sonoma State, and reigning NCAA Div. III national champion Linfield. Those victories all came on the road.

In a split at Linfield, Tim Rausch finished with a .800 slugging percentage and a .556 on base percentage in a split at NCAA Div. III top-ranked Linfield College Sunday. The junior hit a two-run home run during the second game 5-0 win. On the day, Rausch finished 1-for-5 at the plate. He was walked four times and struck out once.

Spenser Watkins (1-2) tossed a three inning shutout in the 5-0 win. The senior picked up his first victory of the season on the mound, allowing one hit, striking out three Wildcats, and throwing no walks. Clark McKitrick also pitched three shutout innings in the win.

Western Oregon and LC State meet for the 71st time Friday. A four-game series in Lewiston, Idaho, was split last year. Live audio and stats will be available on WOUWolves.com. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.