MONMOUTH, Ore. – After cruising to a pair of wins on Friday, the Western Oregon University baseball team was able to grind out a split with Montana State Billings on Saturday winning the opener, 2-1, before the Yellowjackets won the series finale, 7-2, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the WOU Baseball Field.
Runs were hard to come by for both teams throughout the day, with WOU (9-7, 3-1 GNAC) getting a pair of strong pitching performances in both games. In the opener, Matthew Dunaway rolled through the first two innings, before having to leave in the third inning. Parker Johnson came on in relief and went the next 4.1 innings, along just three hits and posting four strikeouts to eventually end up with the victory (3-1). The rest of the bullpen was solid as well with Sebasten Boivin getting an out, Chris Hardin with two outs, before Seth Kuykendall was lights out over the final 1.1 innings to get his first save of the season, not allowing a baserunner and picking up two strikeouts.
The Wolves took the early lead in the first inning. Spencer Weston started the frame with a single and later stole second. After Jackson Holstad was hit-by-pitch and a flyout advanced Weston to third, an error brought home the first run. On a pickoff attempt at first base, the Yellowjackets (9-11, 1-3 GNAC) had Holstad in a run down, but the throw from first to second got away allowing Weston to score for the 1-0 lead.
Montana State Billings fought back to tie the game with a run in the third. WOU went ahead for good in the home half of the inning. Levi Cummings beat out a hit to shortstop for a single and then stole second. A groundout moved him to third and then he scored on a solid single to right by Derek Maiben for the 2-1 lead.
Johnson worked around a one-out double in the fifth getting a groundout and strikeout to keep the 2-1 lead. The 'Jackets got another runner on in the seventh, but Boivin recorded the final out of the inning. In the eighth, a leadoff single and eventually ending up at second with a steal. Hardin answered with a strikeout and then Kuykendall added a strikeout to close the inning. In the ninth, Kuykendall cruised through the lineup getting a groundout, strikeout and groundout to preserve the 2-1 win.
WOU held the 6-5 edge in hits and MSUB committed the only error. Jacob Maiben led the offense with two hits and Derek Maiben picked up the only RBI.
Dominick Buso led MSUB with two hits and a run scored. On the mound, Jackson Betancourt started and went the first 6.1 innings and ended up with the loss (2-2) allowing the two runs (one earned). Tyler Elliott went the final 1.2 innings.
Game two was a pitcher's duel between Mike Peterson and Connor Redmond. The two right-handed hurlers put up five straight innings of zeros before either team was able to break through. Peterson worked around a walk and a hit batter as the only baserunners over the first five innings. Carrying a no-hitter into the sixth. Redmond was equally strong, allowing a single in the first inning and then at one point retiring 14 straight. That one hit was by Derek Maiben, a single in the first inning.
With the game 0-0 into the sixth, the Yellowjackets got on the board when Buso hit a solo homer to left.
The Wolves came back in the home half. With one out, Ryan Witt doubled and advanced to third on a key wild pitch. The next batter, Weston delivered with a sharp line drive to left to pick up the sacrifice fly to score Witt for the 1-1 tie.
MSUB then got the bats going in the seventh plating six runs on three hits to take the 7-1 lead. John Stark connected on his first collegiate homer in the home half of the inning to provide the final score of 7-2.
MSUB held the slight 5-4 edge in hits and neither team committed an error. Peterson went the first six innings, allowing just one earned run along with four strikeouts for the no decision. Michael Moore ended up with the loss (1-2) allowing three earned runs in the seventh. Joe Kinsky and Dwayne Angebrandt also saw time in the seventh with Kinsky allowing three earned runs while recording an out and Angebrandt getting the final two outs.
Cummings, Derek Maiben, Stark and Witt all had hits for the Wolves. Stark and Weston tallied RBI.
Carson Green picked up two hits to lead the Yellowjackets, while Buso scored a pair of runs. On the mound, Redmond went all seven innings for the complete game win (2-3) allowing two earned runs with eight strikeouts.
WOU remains at home this coming week to face Central Washington in GNAC action with doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday starting at noon at the WOU Baseball Field.
