BILLINGS, Mont. – After shutting out Montana State Billings, 10-0, Western Oregon baseball dropped the second game of the Saturday doubleheader, 7-8, after a walk-off walk.
 
The Wolves are now 10-12 overall and 5-7 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, while the Yellowjackets are 12-11 overall and 6-8 in the league.
 
GAME #1 – WESTERN OREGON 10, MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 0
Western Oregon opened the series with a total of 10 runs, scoring three in the first inning. Junior Nick Snyder blasted a home run to right field, which in turn, allowed senior Trevor Podratz and junior Brock Pradere to score.
 
The Wolves added onto their lead in the second as redshirt senior Marcus Madden came home off of senior Brandon Oliver's single. The fifth run came in the sixth as redshirt junior Erik Long first doubled down the left field line and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.
 
In the seventh inning, Western Oregon finished off the scoring spree with five runs in just two plays. Madden drove a 3 RBI triple as Long, redshirt junior Joey Crunkilton, and senior Kyle Vanderkin all scored. Pradere stepped up to the plate next and sent a home run to left field, allowing Madden to also score.
 
In total, the Wolves outhit the Yellowjackets, 9-3, as Oliver, Snyder, and Vanderkin each had two hits.
 
Sophomore pitcher Brady Miller is undefeated in five games as he pitched 5.2 innings, allowed two hits, and struck out six batters. Senior Darrien Moran also saw 3.1 innings on top of the mound and totaled four strikeouts.         
 
GAME #2 –WESTERN OREGON 7, MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 8
While the first half of the doubleheader ended in Western Oregon's favor, the second game created more of a challenge. The Yellowjackets were the first to get on the board as they scored one run in the second inning and another in the third.
 
Western Oregon stole the lead in the top of the fifth inning with four runs. Crunkilton, who had singled up the middle, later scored off of Long's single. Oliver's single then allowed Long and Madden to score. Finally, Garcia came home on a wild pitch.
 
Despite the Wolves gaining the momentum, Montana State Billings retaliated with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. That didn't stop the Wolves from fighting as they tallied three runs in the seventh inning. First, Snyder's single sent Oliver home, and pinch runner redshirt sophomore Jay Leverett tied up the game as he scored on a wild pitch. Pradere, a pinch runner, earned the Wolves the lead with an unearned run on a passed ball.
 
Montana State Billings' last chance at bat arrived in the bottom of the seventh. The Yellowjackets first tied up the contest with a sacrifice fly, and as the home team loaded the bases, it was a walk-off walk that earned them the victory.
 
Western Oregon and Montana State Billings were even with nine hits apiece, and Crunkilton led the Wolves as he went 3-for-4 at bat.
 
Senior Garrett Alvarez pitched the first five innings, allowing seven hits and striking out four batters. Freshman Jacob Fricke took the loss after pitching 1.2 innings.
 
The series at Montana State Billings concludes on Sunday with a game at 10:30 a.m. MT (9:30 a.m. PT).