MONMOUTH, Ore. – With Mike Peterson and Matthew Dunaway both on their games Friday, the Western Oregon University baseball team picked up a pair of shutout wins over Saint Martin's taking game one, 4-0, and then the nightcap, 1-0, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
Peterson tossed the first eight innings of the opener, allowing just one hit. Dunaway then closed out the sweep with a complete game, seven inning shutout, allowing just one hit.
"It felt good. Peterson established in during the first game and that helped me roll into game two. Anthony Zellner and I saw some things and I was just trying to execute pitches and leave the rest up to Anthony," Dunaway said.
In the first game, neither team could score through the first three innings. In the fourth, WOU (8-4, 7-3 GNAC) brought in the first run as Josh Berman opened the frame with a double to center. After a fly out moved him to third, Hunter Johnson hit a deep fly to center that resulted in a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.
Connor McCord delivered in the fifth. With Jacob Maiben on via a walk, McCord connected on a 1-2 pitch hitting it over the right field fence for a two-run shot and a 3-0 lead.
The Wolves tacked on the final run in the sixth. Ryan Witt opened the inning when he singled off a 0-2 pitch to center. Johnson then roped a shot down the left field line past a diving third baseman to put runners at second and third. After an out, Blayze Arcano hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Witt for the 4-0 lead.
Peterson worked around a jam in the seventh. With two runners on, he induced a groundball double play to Justyn Herzog at third, as he stepped on the bag and then threw to first to complete the inning ending double play.
Trae Perkins then came on in the ninth to finish the game out, working around a single to complete the 4-0 victory.
WOU held a 9-2 edge in hits with McCord and Johnson leading the way with two hit games. McCord drove in a pair of runs. On the mound, Peterson improved to 3-0 going the eight shutout innings. He picked up nine strikeouts. Perkins then worked a scoreless ninth inning, adding a strikeout.
Cody Isa led the Saints (4-12, 1-9 GNAC) with both hits. On the mound, Finnley Butler started and went the first five innings to end up with the loss (1-1), allowing three earned runs. Ryan Ancheta went the final three innings and allowed a run.
It was pretty much the same story in game two. With Dunaway on target from the start, Tanner Inouye matched him through the first five innings.
Dunaway worked around a jam in the fourth. With runners at the corners and one out, he was able to get a foul out to first and then a pop out to second to leave the runners stranded.
With Inouye out of the game in the sixth, WOU was able to claim the only run of game two.
Jayden Hanna and Zellner opened the inning with back-to-back walks. Then on a ball put in play by Arcano, Zellner was tagged out going to second and as the second baseman tried to complete the double play at first, his throw sailed to the dugout screen allowing Hanna to score from third with the only run of the game.
"It feels good, it's always the same for me. I just try to get Dunaway to feel comfortable and get the energy flowing right from the get go. You can't let early runs happen, so just trying to stay focused every pitch and it feels good to get two wins today," Zellner said.
Dunaway was able to finish off the game in the seventh getting three straight strikeouts for the 1-0 victory.
WOU held a 6-1 edge in hits with Jacob Maiben leading the way with two hits. Dunaway claimed his second win (2-1) of the season going all seven innings, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out eight.
Aaron Renaud had the only hit for Saint Martin's. Inouye worked the first five innings on the mound to get the no-decision. Ryan Driscoll entered in the sixth and ended up with the loss (1-1) as he walked both batters he faced, with Hanna scoring what would be the winning run.
WOU and SMU will conclude their four-game GNAC series tomorrow (Saturday) with another doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
