BILLINGS, Mont. – The Western Oregon and MSU Billings baseball teams split a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Dehler Park, with the Wolves taking game one 12-9 in extra innings before a 9-7 loss in game two.

Trailing by four games for the top spot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings coming into the series, Western Oregon (17-9, 14-9 GNAC) was unable to pick up any ground on the first place Yellowjackets.

Connor McCord made his first start on the hill of the year and his seventh overall appearance in game one of the series. He tossed six solid innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits, walking two and striking out nine. He would not receive a decision.

Trailing 3-1 going to the top of the fifth inning, the Wolves broke out offensively for five runs off 2018 GNAC co-Pitcher of the Year, Steen Fredrickson. The rally was led by the grand slam of outfielder Griffey Halle, a towering shot off the right-center field scoreboard. The five RBI in game one for Halle was a new career-high.

Derek Maiben contributed four hits at the plate in six at-bats, tacking on a double, triple and three RBI.

WOU  held a 9-7 lead going to the bottom of the ninth, putting MSU Billings (17-8, 14-8 GNAC) down to their last three outs. Jalen Garcia was the beneficiary of a fortunate bounce on his bunt down the third base line to lead off the inning, turning an otherwise foul ball into a single. After the following batter was hit by a pitch, Matt Dillon singled up the middle to score two runs and send the game to extras.

Wryland McKnight threw two shutout frames in relief, giving up two hits, no walks and striking out three.

Western wasted no time reclaiming the lead, popping the 'Jackets for three runs in the 10^th on two hits while taking advantage of a throwing error. Collin Runge doubled to lead off the inning and scored later on Halle's sacrifice to center.

Game two also saw the winner power out a big inning to claim the victory. This time it was MSUB dropping six runs in the fourth inning to chase Grant Fisher (0-2) from his first start of the season.

Trailing 7-1 going to the fifth inning, the Wolves would not go down quietly, immediately retaliating with four runs of their own on four hits. Blayze Arcano singled through the right side to give Runge an extra RBI on his two-run home run the following at-bat. It was the first of two homers in the inning as McCord followed with a round-tripper two batters later.

After starting on the mound in game one, McCord proved himself at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in the loss. It was the third multi-home run game of his collegiate career and the second he has put together in the last three weeks.

Despite scoring six runs over the final three innings, the Wolves were unable to completely close the gap, coming up short in the 9-7 loss.

Koty Fallon threw a shutout inning of relief in the sixth, striking out one.

With the split of the day, WOU remains four games back of MSUB for first place in the GNAC with 14 games left to be played in the regular season. That conference deficit could be cut in half with a series win this weekend.

The Wolves and 'Jackets will play another doubleheader Saturday in Billings. First pitch in game one April 13 is set for 12 p.m. PDT at Dehler Park.