NAMPA, Idaho – In what was a pitcher's duel throughout, the #23 Western Oregon University baseball team posted a timely rally in the ninth inning to come back and defeat #15 Northwest Nazarene, 2-1, in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional Championship.
Mike Peterson got the start for WOU (21-6) and was solid through the first five-plus innings. He allowed just one earned run, while adding three strikeouts. Seth Kuykendall came on in relief working out of a jam in the sixth and ended up going 2.1 innings to get the win (3-0) allowing just one baserunner. Alan Vasquez recorded his third save of the season tossing a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The WOU pitching staff was matched by Kyle Ethridge who went eight-plus innings leaving in the ninth with a runner on to take the no-decision. He limited the Wolves to just six baserunners and posted 12 strikeouts.
With neither team able to post a run over the first four innings, Northwest Nazarene (31-8) got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff double by Colton Moore would be cashed in on an RBI single to left by Alex Salsman for the 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kuykendall came on in relief and worked out of a big jam. With runners on second and third, he was able to get Colton Moore to fly out to center on the first pitch to keep the game 1-0.
With the game still 1-0 into the ninth, the Wolves were able to rally without recording a hit. Blayze Arcano began the frame as he battled and eventually worked a full-count walk. That was the end of the day for Ethridge, with Blake McFadden entering the game. McFadden pitched to just Derek Maiben who laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Arcano to second. Closer Max Holtzclaw then entered for the Nighthawks. Jacob Maiben, down 1-2 in the count, found a way to put the ball in play and it paid off. His hit to shortstop turned into a throwing error as the throw across the diamond to first was well high off the first baseman and allowed Jacob Maiben to reach. On the play, Arcano scored from second to tie the game and Jacob Maiben moved to second as the ball got away. Connor McCord was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second for Josh Berman. Berman saw three straight balls and after the count went full, he drew a walk to load the bases. After a strikeout followed for the second out, Tyler Brandenburg saw three straight balls to open his at-bat. After a called strike, the 3-1 pitch was low giving Brandenburg the walk and RBI with Jacob Maiben scoring the go-ahead run at 2-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, Vasquez entered. He struck out the first two batters and then got a roller hit between the pitcher's mound and first that he secured and ran to first for the final out to preserve the 2-1 victory.
NNU ended up holding a 6-4 edge in hits and committed the only error of the game. Derek Maiben, McCord, Berman and Brandenburg all had hits for the Wolves.
Ben Johnson led the Nighthawks with two hits. Holtzclaw picked up his first loss (4-1) of the season for NNU, allowing the go-ahead run in the ninth as he pitched the final two-thirds of the inning.
With the win, WOU moves on to play Friday at 11 a.m. (Pacific). Northwest Nazarene defeated Azusa Pacific in the second game of the regional (3-2) which means that both of those teams now have a loss. WOU will face Azusa Pacific in game three of the regionals Friday morning. Win or lose, WOU will then turn around and face NNU in game four of the regional later on Friday starting around 2:30 p.m. (Pacific). If WOU enters that game 2-0, they would have a chance to clinch the regional.
