ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Solid pitching, defense and clutch hits helped propel the Western Oregon University baseball team to a 5-2 win to start Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against Central Washington on Saturday. The Wildcats then responded in the second game with one big inning to take the 6-3 win and gain the split.
In the opener, CWU (3-3, 1-1 GNAC) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. WOU (2-2, 1-1 GNAC) then responded in the third. Still trailing 2-0, Tyler Brandenburg worked a walk around a pair of outs. He then stole second just in time to come home on a single to left-center by Derek Maiben to trim the deficit to one. After Jacob Maiben and Connor McCord both reached without a hit, David Gibons put one in play that was misplayed by the pitcher and ended up bringing a pair of runs in for the 3-2 lead.
The Wolves expanded the lead in the fourth as Ryan Witt walked and then eventually moved to third with a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Blayze Arcano came through with the clutch hit ripping a single to left on a 0-2 count to bring in the fourth run and a 4-2 lead after four.
Derek Maiben tripled to begin the fifth and would come home two batters later when McCord hit a sacrifice fly to left to push the lead to 5-2.
Pitching continued to dominate for the Wolves, as over the final four innings, Central Washington only managed a single and a walk with WOU taking the 5-2 win. Mike Peterson started and went the first six innings for the win (1-0) allowing just two runs (one earned) along with six strikeouts and just one walk. Trae Perkins then picked up his first save of the season going the final three innings, allowing just a hit and a walk, while striking out two.
Derek Maiben led the offense with a pair of hits and drove in a run. Witt, Ryan Santa Cruz and Arcano accounted for the other hits, as CWU held a 7-5 edge in hits.
Justin Hampson led CWU with a 3-4 game, while on the mound, Dillon Larsen took the loss (0-1) allowing five runs (three earned) in four innings. Dylan Weese went the final five innings and didn't allow a run.
In game two, WOU held the early lead plating a run in the second when Justyn Herzog opened the frame launching a homer to left-center, which ended up being part of a 3-3 game at the plate.
The Wildcats evened the score with a run in the home half of the second and then moved out to a 4-1 lead with three runs in the third.
WOU kept trying to chip away, getting a run back in both the fourth and the fifth, with Herzog cranking his second solo shot of the game, leading off the fourth with one over the right field fence. In the fifth, Herzog delivered again with an RBI sacrifice fly to center to bring in Derek Maiben who singled to open the inning.
But, each time the Wolves scored, the Wildcats answered as they were able to push across single runs in the fourth and the fifth to keep the advantage at three, 6-3.
Over the final two innings, WOU put runners on, but weren't able to get another run in with CWU taking the 6-3 win to gain the split on Saturday.
WOU held a 9-8 edge in hits with Herzog leading the way with his three-hit performance. Arcano and Derek Maiben added two-hit games. Tyler McClain and Justin Culpepper led the Wildcats with two-hit games.
On the mound, Matthew Dunaway started for the Wolves and ended up with the loss (0-1) after going to first three innings and allowing four earned runs, along with three strikeouts. Joe Kinsky worked the final three innings, allowing just two runs (one earned), while striking out three. A trio of pitchers went for the Wildcats, with the middle reliever JJ Asinas picking up the win (2-0) working an inning and allowing an earned run. Rhyse Frey collected the save (2) going the final 2.2 innings allowing just two hits and no runs.
WOU will continue their series with CWU on Sunday with another doubleheader set to start at 12 p.m. in Ellensburg.
