PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Oregon baseball earned a 6-1 victory in the first game of the Friday doubleheader against Northwest Nazarene, and dropped 5-3 in the second half despite a comeback rally to tie up the contest for an extra inning.
 
With Concordia's Porter Park as the "home" location for the Wolves this weekend, Western Oregon is now 9-8 overall and 4-4 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, while the Crusaders are 11-9 overall and 6-4 in the league.
 
GAME #1 – WESTERN OREGON 6, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 1
In the first half of the doubleheader, Northwest Nazarene earned an early run during the top of the first inning. The Wolves trailed until the fourth inning when senior Brandon Oliver drove a double and came home on a wild pitch.
 
Western Oregon took the lead in the sixth inning as redshirt sophomore Jay Leverett hit a triple to left center field. He then scored off of a sacrifice fly.
 
In the seventh, the Wolves gained some breathing room as redshirt junior Erik Long's double brought senior Cody Sullivan home. Following the run, junior Brock Pradere hit a single up the middle, allowing Long and senior Cody Poznanski to score two more runs for a 5-1 lead.
 
Sullivan blasted a solo home run to left field in the eighth inning to cap off the win for the Wolves.
 
Western Oregon totaled seven hits, while Northwest Nazarene had four.
 
Sophomore Brady Miller (4-0) earned the win after pitching seven innings, allowing three hits, and striking out 12 batters. Freshman Jake Peloquin stepped in to claim his first save, recording two strikes in his two innings.        
 
GAME #2 –WESTERN OREGON 3, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 5
Going into the second contest, the Crusaders got on the board first once again with one run in the first inning and another in the second.
 
Senior Nathan Etheridge got the ball rolling with a double in the second inning, but Northwest Nazarene still had the edge at the end of the period.
 
The Wolves found themselves dealing with a 3-0 deficit after another Crusader run in the top of the third inning, but Western Oregon retaliated and cut into their lead in the bottom half. Junior Forrest Garcia originally got on base with a single and after stealing second base, he scored off of a wild pitch, while Pradere walked and advanced to second on a throwing error. Senior Trevor Podratz then hit a single to left center field, which allowed Pradere to score.
 
In the sixth inning, the Wolves loaded the bases with three consecutive singles, but a double play quickly took two runners out, and Northwest Nazarene attained the third out on the next play.
 
Therefore, three scoreless innings flew by, and in the Wolves' last chance to stay in the game during the seventh inning, Garcia singled to left field.  Junior pinch hitter Nick Snyder drew a walk, and junior Alex Emerson stepped in for Snyder as a pinch runner.
 
A wild pitch then allowed Garcia and Emerson to advance. It was Pradere's single that allowed Garcia to score the tying run at 3-3, pushing the game to an extra inning.
 
In the eighth inning, Northwest Nazarene filled the bases with runners, and a double eventually brought two of them home for the 5-3 victory.
 
The Crusaders outhit the Wolves, 11-8. Podratz, Etheridge, and Garcia each posted two hits for the game.
 
Senior pitcher Darrien Moran (1-3) stood on the mound for 7.1 innings and struck out five batters. Freshman Koty Fallon also pitched in the final inning.
 
Up next, the Wolves will play Northwest Nazarene in another doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitches at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.