Written by Matt Rawlings, Sports Information InternSAN DIEGO, Calif. – In an abnormal situation, Western Oregon University's baseball team played 11 innings on Friday that included the remainder of Thursday's suspended game as well as the regularly scheduled contest against Point Loma Nazarene University Friday at Carroll B. Land Stadium. The Wolves would drop both games, 4-3 in 12 innings and 9-4, to the Sea Lions.
After the Wolves came up empty in both the 11
th and 12
th innings of the resumed game, PLNU right fielder Devin Carter hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the 12
th to give PLNU the 4-3 victory over the Wolves.
The regularly scheduled against PLNU was played later Friday afternoon, and even though the Wolves outhit PLNU 14-10, they were not able to overcome giving up a five-run 2
nd inning as the Wolves fell to PLNU by a score of 9-4.
Western Oregon (0-6) was led by senior
Marcus Hinkle, who was 4-for-4 on the day with two runs scored. Senior
Matt Taylor and junior
Cody Sullivan, each had three hits apiece for the Wolves. Junior
Nathan Etheridge led the way for the Wolves with two RBI. Senior
Clark McKitrick got the start on the mound for the Wolves and he allowed six runs (two earned runs) on two hits and four base-on-balls in 1.2 innings of work. Junior
Michael Bennett and senior
Spencer Trautmann combined to pitch 6.1 innings in relief and gave up just three runs on eight hits as well as striking out five in the loss.
Point Loma (2-0) was led offensively by Carter, who went 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI, while Joseph Keller and AJ Derr each had two-hit games for PLNU. Eric Pierce got the starting pitching nod for PLNU as he struck-out four in 5.0 innings of work while giving up one run and three base-on-balls in the win.
PLNU would strike first in the bottom of the 1
st inning on an RBI groundout by Carter. PLNU then struck for five runs in the bottom of the 2
nd on two hits and a Western Oregon error. After Anthony Torres scored on an error and Keller scored on a single by Derr, Ryan Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to put PLNU up by a score of 4-0, which was then proceeded by a two-run home run by Carter, which made the score 6-0.
Western Oregon would get on the board in the top of the 3
rd inning when Etheridge singled to score Hinkle from third. PLNU was able to get a run apiece in the 4
th, 5
th, and 6
th innings, making the score 9-1
Western Oregon would get another run in the top of the 7
th inning on a double by Sullivan, which scored Etheridge from second. The Wolves would get there final two runs in the top of the 8
th inning on a single by Taylor, which scored senior
Garret Harpole, and a sacrifice fly by Etheridge, which scored Hinkle.
The Wolves play a doubleheader against PLNU starting Saturday at noon, as the Wolves continue their Southern California road-trip.
