Baseball | 2/6/2014 5:21:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Western Oregon University baseball team split a road doubleheader at Sonoma State University (Calif.) Thursday, falling in the first game, 7-1, and taking the nightcap, 5-3.

Playing through light rain and cold temperatures, the Wolves (4-2) grabbed another victory over a top-four ranked team in the NCBWA NCAA Div. II West Region Preseason Poll with the Game 2 win. WOU is ranked ninth in the region. Western Oregon's Tim Rausch finished 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBI. Taylor Hetrick grabbed his first victory of the season on the mound.

"Taylor threw well for us in Game 2," WOU Head Coach Kellen Walker said. "He competed well and was able to command two pitches for the majority of his outing.

"This club has shown signs early this season of being able to compete at a very high level. Our effort, trust and overall competitive level needs to become more consistent though. We have had great opportunities to be tested in the early season and we will have another opportunity tomorrow."

In Game 1, after 4.5 scoreless innings, Sonoma State opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. It then added four runs in the seventh inning and another in the eighth. Western Oregon's lone score came in the top of the ninth when Rausch singled to left field, bringing in Matt Taylor.

Daniel Caresio was 2-for-3 for the Seawolves (1-1). The freshman had a double with two RBI in his collegiate debut. Blake Sack (1-0) picked up the win. The sophomore allowed two hits and no earned runs through four innings. George Asmus also threw four innings, allowing no runs and one hit, while striking out four Wolves.

Sonoma State finished with 11 hits and committed one error. WOU had six hits and two errors. The Seawolves stranded nine runners on base, while Western Oregon left five.

Spenser Watkins (0-2) was credited with the loss. The senior gave up five hits and two earned runs in five innings of work. He struck out four Seawolves, while walking three others. Parker Miles had two hits in four at bats.

Hetrick threw 3.1 innings in the second game, allowed no runs and three hits. He had four strikeouts and three walks. Kody Stone picked up his third save already this young season. The senior moved into second place all-time in the GNAC record books with 16 career saves.

Rausch opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single to left field, scoring Chris Bradshaw. Garrett Harpole scored in the fourth inning on an error. The Wolves then scored off of both of their hits in the fifth inning. A Nathan Etheridge single to right center drove in Michael Sherwin and a Jacob Whisler sacrifice fly brought in Etheridge.

Sonoma State tallied two runs in the bottom of the fifth and one in the sixth. Daniel McNabb scored the final run with a hit through the right side that drove in Austin Hamilton.

Western Oregon had nine hits to SSU's seven. The Seawolves committed all three errors in the contest. WOU left 13 runners on base, compared to Sonoma State's 10.

The teams return to the field Friday. The doubleheader was moved ahead to a 10:40 a.m. start instead of the original 11 a.m. first pitch. Live stats will be on WOUWolves.com.

Sonoma State 7, Western Oregon 1 (Feb 06, 2014 at Rohnert Park, CA) (Game 1)
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Western Oregon...... 000 000 001  -  1  6  2      (3-2)
Sonoma State........ 000 020 41X  -  7 11  1      (1-0)
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Pitchers: Western Oregon - Watkins,Spenser; Keller,Nick(6); Trautmann,Spencer(7) and .
Sonoma State - ASMUS; SACK(5); RICHARDS, Ja(9) and .
Win-SACK(1-0)  Loss-Watkins,Spenser(0-2)  T-2:33  A-84
Weather: 48 deg F, light rain
Western Oregon 5, Sonoma State 3 (Feb 06, 2014 at Rohnert Park, CA) (Game 2)
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Western Oregon...... 100 120 1 -  5  9  0      (4-2)
Sonoma State........ 000 021 0 -  3  7  3      (1-1)
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Pitchers: Western Oregon - Hetrick,Taylor; Pratt,Jesse(4); Tokunaga,Chase(5);
Morrison,Christian(5); Kayser,Zach(6); Stone,Kody(7) and . Sonoma State - GILLIS; PEZZOLA(4);
BOUNSALL(5); ALDRETE(6) and .
Win-Hetrick,Taylor(1-0)  Save-Stone,Kody(3)  Loss-GILLIS(0-1)  T-2:59  A-88
Weather: 50 deg F, cloudy