NEWBERG, Ore. – One big inning and defensive heroics ensured a series victory while cold, dark skies forced the postponement of a potential series sweep on Monday for the Western Oregon baseball team. The Wolves earned an 8-7 win in nine innings against the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets while the second game was halted in the bottom of the sixth inning with WOU leading 7-0 at the Morse Athletic Complex on the campus of George Fox University.
 
The victory in game one gave the Wolves three wins in a row to improve their overall record to 4-3 and an unbeaten 3-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-11, 0-3 GNAC) responded from a deficit in the first game behind a 4-for-4 performance with four RBI from Australian infielder Michael Gahan, but could not cash in on 16 runners left on base throughout the nine innings.
 
GAME ONE – Western Oregon 8, Montana State Billings 7
After scoring seven runs in the bottom of the third inning, a pair of doubles in the Western Oregon seventh proved vital as the Wolves stopped a game-tying run from crossing the plate in the ninth inning.
 
Two walks put the tying run on first base with two outs. MSUB's Ryan Myers lifted a deep ball to right field that skipped off the wall, Casey Merritt scored easily from second, but Kade Hall was cut down at home on great relay throws from Jacob Martinez in right field and cutoff man Jay Leverett to Justin Wakem blocking the dish.
 
Martinez also figured into the eventual game-winning run with a RBI double that split the gap in right-center field scoring Leverett, who led off the inning with a double.
 
The Yellowjackets got on the board in the second inning on a solo homer by Gahan and an infield single by Merritt for a 2-0 lead.
 
Four walks sparked a rally in the Western Oregon third frame, including a RBI free pass to Koty Fallon that was followed RBI singles from Justin Wakem, Hunter Johnson and Martinez. Brock Pradere bounced a ball through the infield bringing home the final two runs in a seven-run frame as the score moved to 7-2.
 
MSUB continued to chip away with three runs in the fifth inning, one more in the sixth and their final tally in the ninth.
 
The Wolves used four pitchers, with starter Craig Grubbe making his season debut lasting 4 2/3 innings. Christian Hammerich earned the win going 2/3 of an inning and allowing one run. Freshman hurler Alex Roth tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts setting the table for Kade Mechals to notch his second save of the season.
 
For MSUB, starter Steen Frederickson struggled with command walking five WOU batters and allowing four runs despite only one hit over 4 2/3 innings in taking the loss.
 
GAME TWO (Halted in the 6^th inning) – Western Oregon 7, Montana State Billings 0
A combination of snowy weather overnight, a wintery mix of weather throughout the afternoon and sunset in the Willamette Valley kept the Wolves from officially wrapping up their first series sweep of the season. The second game on Monday was halted heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of a seven-inning contest with the Wolves up 7-0. Continuation of the game will have to wait until the teams meet up again in April at Dehler Park in Billings.
 
It did not take long for the Wolves to put runs on the board, as the scored at least one run in each of the first four innings.
 
Nyles Nygaard cashed in a two-out run in the first inning with a single scoring Brock Pradere. Martinez provided the big hit of the second inning with a two-run double, scoring Leverett and Johnson, and a wild relay throw back towards third careened out of play allowing Martinez to trot home on the error.
 
In the third inning, Nygaard walked and advanced to third with a line-drive double by Koty Fallon to the opposite field. With the count in his favor, a deep fly ball by freshman Torreahno Sweet allowed Nygaard to tag up and score to make it a 5-0 game.
 
Fallon notched the sixth and seventh runs for the Wolves in the next frame when his fly ball into shallow center dropped scored pinch-runner Cody Dykstra and Nygaard in a two-out rally.
 
Trey Smith, also making his WOU season debut on the mound, struck out four while allowing three hits over six shutout innings.
 
Bryon Baker started for MSUB, throwing 3 2/3 innings and striking out two against seven ealks with seven runs on five hits. Tanner Watson was on the hill for MSUB when darkness stopped his relief outing at 1 1/3 innings.
 
UP NEXT: The Wolves will hope the forecasted rain for the Portland-area subsides as they are scheduled for a four-game conference series on March 11-12 at Concordia. First pitch of a Saturday day-night doubleheader is set for 4:30 p.m. at Porter Park.