MONMOUTH, Ore. – Freshman southpaw Jacob Fricke threw six shutout innings in his first collegiate start and senior outfielder Cody Sullivan had seven hits for the day as the Western Oregon University baseball team combined for 26 hits in sweeping visiting Saint Martin's University, 11-1 and 8-4, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on Wednesday afternoon. The two games completed a WOU home series that was interrupted due to rain on March 13.
 
The Wolves extended their current winning streak to 10 games and, at 15-8 in the GNAC (20-13 overall), have taken over first place by a half game over idle Northwest Nazarene University. Saint Martin's fell to 11-23 overall and 8-16 in the GNAC. The two teams will begin a regularly scheduled four-game series beginning Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. in Lacey, Wash.
 
GAME ONE: Western Oregon 11, Saint Martin's 1
The Wolves scored the first 11 runs of the game in support of Fricke to cruise to an 11-1 win in Wednesday's opener.
 
Senior designated hitter Trevor Podratz had a run-scoring single in the first to start the offense. WOU added six runs in the third inning highlighted by a RBI double from Sullivan and a two-run triple from senior Cody Poznanski from the nine spot in the lineup.
 
A pair of two-run doubles from senior Kyle Vanderkin in the fourth inning and redshirt freshman Justin Wakem in the seventh added insurance to the lead.
 
Fricke was spectacular in his mid-week start allowing just three hits over six scoreless frames with a career-high six strikeouts. Freshman Jordan Schiefer allowed a run on two hits over the final three innings to earn his first collegiate save.
 
Sullivan led the 16-hit Western Oregon attack going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and one batted in. Podratz was 3-for-4 while Poznanski and junior Erik Long each had two hits.
 
GAME TWO: Western Oregon 8, Saint Martin's 4
Sullivan added three more hits while junior Brock Pradere and senior Nathan Etheridge each had two runs knocked in as WOU completed the doubleheader sweep with an 8-4 win.
 
After Pradere scored on a double play ball in the first inning, WOU tallied three more runs with two outs. Etheridge and Vanderkin posted RBI singles while junior Forrest Garcia drew a bases loaded walk.
 
Pradere cleared the bases with a triple in the fifth inning, but after an appeal to third base, Garcia was ruled to have not hit the bag. His run was wiped off the board, so the Wolves had to settle for a 7-2 advantage. Sullivan added the final tally in an afternoon rainstorm with a clean triple to right center, scoring Long.
 
Senior pitcher Cody Allison struck out three and earned his first win of the season (1-1). He allowed three runs on five hits. Junior reliever Elias Bedolla worked 2/3 of an inning while senior Garrett Alavarez closed out the game by pitching the seventh.
 
The Wolves finished with a 10-7 edge in hits, including three for extra bases.