PORTLAND, Ore. – The Western Oregon University baseball team got back to win column with late game heroics in a doubleheader sweep of Central Washington on Monday. The Wolves walked off in game one, 1-0, and then scored five unanswered runs to take game two, 5-4.
 
GAME ONE – Western Oregon 1, Central Washington 0
Craig Grubbe, Shawn Domke and Kade Mechals combined on a seven-hit shutout while Jacob Martinez brought in the game-winner with a sacrifice fly to center field bringing home Cody Dykstra for a 1-0 victory.
 
Dykstra started the final rally with a one-out double just inside the third base bag and when the left fielder had issues fielding the bounding ball near the fence, Dykstra took third. Martinez wasted no time taking the first pitch he saw deep enough into center field to allow a head-first slide ahead of the throw.
 
Grubbe struck the side in the second inning and had five strikeouts through the first two frames. With a scoreless stalemate, Grubbe took a no-decision after seven innings of five-hit baseball.
 
Each team had opportunities to score, including a big CWU threat in the eighth. Domke allowed two hits before Mechals came out of the bullpen. On an attempted sacrifice bunt, catcher Justin Wakem made a great throw to third base to beat the lead runner for the first out. After a walk, Mechals induced a double play to shortstop, ending the threat.
 
Mechals struck out two in the ninth and picked up the win in relief (1-0).
 
GAME TWO – Western Oregon 5, Central Washington 4
Central Washington scored an unearned run in the second inning and three more unearned tallies against WOU starter Trey Smith in the fifth inning to hold a 4-0 lead after a two-run single from Michael Heinvetter up the middle.
 
Western Oregon cut the lead in half outing two runs on the board in response in the bottom of the fifth. Nyles Nygaard singled in Brock Pradere with one out and Jay Leverett plated Joey Crunkilton with a line drive hit to left field.
 
WOU took the lead with great early production in the sixth. Garrett Anderson beat out an infield single and advanced to second on a base hit from Torreahno Sweet. Martinez moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Pradere tied the game at 4-4 with a double down the left field line and later brought in the eventual game-winner on a sharp single through the left side on the infield from Koty Fallon.
 
Alex Roth calmed the CWU bats in two innings of relief with four strikeouts to grab his first win of the season while Cam Walker threw a perfect seventh frame for his third save of the season.
 
The Wolves outhit CWU 12 to five in the second game.

NEXT UP
Western Oregon will hit the road this weekend for a four-game set at Saint Martin's beginning on Saturday, March 25. First pitch of a doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Lacey.