Written by Iain Dexter, Sports Information Intern

LACEY, Washington  – The Western Oregon University baseball team took the first two games of a four-game series, 4-0 and 3-2, in a double header against Saint Martin's University Saturday in the Wolves' first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) series of the season.
 
The Wolves (6-12, 2-0 GNAC) were led to victory in both games by their starting pitchers. Junior Darrien Moran threw eight shutout innings in Game #1, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out five batters. In Game #2, senior Jesse Pratt allowed six hits and one walk over six shutout innings, striking out six on his way to his second victory of the season.
 
Senior Marcus Hinkle finished the day a combined 3-for-7 with a walk, three runs batted in and two stolen bases. Senior catcher Michael Sherwin hit the lone home run of the two games, hitting 2-for-5 with a walk, one run batted in and two runs scored.
 
GAME #1 — WESTERN OREGON 4, SAINT MARTIN'S 0

In the opening game of the series, Western Oregon rode the arm of Moran to victory. The team got off to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top-half of the second inning. Junior Mac Gridley got the team on the board with a run-scoring single through the left side to score Sherwin. Hinkle followed two batters later with a two-run-scoring base hit, driving in Gridley and senior Garrett Harpole.

Moran continued to deal for the next seven innings before being replaced by junior Jacob Storedahl, who continued where Moran left off, pitching a scoreless inning to seal the victory for the Wolves. Harpole extend the lead for WOU in the top-half of the ninth inning on a run-scoring double.

The Wolves finished with seven hits for the game, walking twice and striking out seven times as a team. Zach Carter was the losing pitcher for the Saints (6-10, 0-2 GNAC), allowing four earned runs over eight and a third innings pitched.

GAME #2 — WESTERN OREGON 3, SAINT MARTIN'S 2

The Wolves took Game #2 of the series and the double header behind Pratt's six-scoreless innings.

Both teams were held off the scoreboard through the first three innings until the Wolves ended the shutout with a two-run fourth. Sherwin started the scoring with a solo home run. The offense continued to add on after a single by Harpole drove in the second run of the inning after an error by the Saints' outfielder.
 
The Wolves' two-run lead held up until the seventh inning, when they tacked on a third run on a run-scoring single by Hinkle. The run proved to be significant after the Saints responded with two runs in the bottom-half of the seventh inning. Junior Shawn Domke recorded the save, stranding the tying run on third base.
 
The Wolves finished with eight total hits to the Saints' nine. Carl Svanevik was 2-for-4 in the game for SMU and Kaelen Hirashiki ended 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Josh Moss was the losing pitcher, allowing two runs, one earned, over six innings for the Saints.
 
The Wolves and Saints finish their four-game series in a double header tomorrow – Sunday, March 1 – with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.