PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Oregon baseball split the Saturday doubleheader against Concordia, defeating the Cavaliers, 9-2, in the first game and dropping 2-0 in the second half.
 
With these being the first two Great Northwest Athletic Conference games of the season, the Wolves are 6-5 overall and 1-1 in the conference, while the Cavaliers are 3-9 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
GAME #1 – WESTERN OREGON 9, CONCORDIA 2
As the first game began, Senior Trevor Podratz started the Wolves off on a high note with a homerun to left field in the top of the first inning.
 
It wasn't until the fifth when Western Oregon would score again, tallying three consecutive runs along with another run in the inning. Senior Cody Sullivan scored after senior Nathan Etheridge's double. On the next play, senior Kyle Vanderkin, who had singled, scored when senior Brandon Oliver singled to left field, and Etheridge made it home when redshirt junior Erik Long reached on a fielder's choice. Oliver scored the fourth run of the inning after a wild pitch.
 
In the sixth inning, Sullivan was hit by the pitch and eventually scored as Oliver doubled to left center field. Junior Brock Pradere was also hit by the pitch in the seventh, and he scored after Podratz doubled to right center field, increasing the Wolves' lead to 7-0.
 
Sullivan attained his third run of the game in the ninth after Vanderkin blasted a triple, which also allowed junior Forrest Garcia to score. Concordia responded with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to finish off the game.
 
Overall, Vanderkin and Oliver led the Wolves with three hits each, while Podratz had two. Sophomore pitcher Brady Miller earned his second victory of the season after pitching eight innings, allowing only two hits and striking out nine batters.                                                                                          
 
GAME #2 –WESTERN OREGON 0, CONCORDIA 2
The second half of the doubleheader resulted in a different manner as Concordia scored the only two runs of the contest in the first inning.
 
The Wolves had three up, three down innings in four of the seven innings played. Etheridge's single and senior Cody Poznanski's double made up the Wolves' two hits of the game, while Concordia totaled five hits.
 
Senior Darrien Moran (1-2) stood on the mound for the full six innings and struck out one batter.
 
The Wolves will finish off the series against Concordia with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 6. The first pitches are set for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.