MONMOUTH, Ore. – Senior weekend is here for the Western Oregon University baseball team and it will also be an important four-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference series when the Wolves host Northwest Nazarene this Friday and Saturday at the WOU Baseball Field. The teams will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. and then it will be Senior Day on Saturday with another doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
WOU will honor their 11 seniors on Saturday before the games. Below are recaps of each seniors career while at WOU.
Leighton Moniz
Moniz has spent the past two seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from Edmonds CC and is originally from Kapaa, Hawaii. During the 2021 season, Moniz saw time in two games, playing against Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings. So far this year, Moniz has put together a strong senior season. He is hitting .304 with 14 hits, 10 runs, five doubles, a home run and four RBI, along with six walks. Moniz has a pair of multi-hit games against Montana State Billings and Stanislaus State, scored two runs against Montana State Billings, Stanislaus State and Central Washington and has an RBI in four games. He hit a home run against the Yellowjackets. For his two-year career at WOU, Moniz has played in 19 games, that included 14 starts, tallied 14 hits, 10 runs, five doubles, a home run and four RBI.
Spencer Weston
Weston has spent the past three seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from San Diego State and Irvine Valley College and is originally from Irvine, Calif. During his first season at WOU in 2020, Weston played in four games that included a start, tallying two walks. Weston played in six games that included three starts in 2021, hitting .286 with a run scored, a double, four walks and a stolen base. So far this season, Weston has played in 32 games that includes 28 starts, posting 25 hits, 22 runs, five doubles, 17 RBI, 15 walks and five stolen bases. He has six multi-hit games, reaching a high of three against Bushnell, Fresno Pacific and Montana State Billings. Weston scored two runs in a game five times and has five multi-RBI games, driving in four against Bushnell. For his three-year career at WOU, Weston has played in 42 games, including 32 starts, 27 hits, 23 runs scored, six doubles, 17 RBI and six stolen bases.
Anthony Zellner
Zellner spent his entire collegiate career at WOU after staying local to play for the Wolves originally from Salem, Ore. Zellner began his career during the 2019 season playing in four games that included a start, he tallied a hit, three runs scored and two walks. He played in seven games that included six starts in 2020, coming away with a run scored and three walks. Zellner played in 18 games that included 17 starts during the 2021 season, posting a .320 average with 16 hits, 16 runs, five doubles, 17 RBI and eight walks. He posted four multi-hit games, reaching a high of three against Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings. Zellner scored five runs against Montana State Billings and posted five multi-RBI games, reaching three against Azusa Pacific, Saint Martin's and Northwest Nazarene. So far this season, Zellner has caught almost every game for the Wolves seeing time in 31 games that are all starts, coming away with 30 hits, 17 runs, eight doubles, a home run, 18 RBI and 12 walks. He has 11 multi-hit games, reaching three against Fresno Pacific and Central Washington. Scored two runs in a game four times and has five multi-RBI games driving in two in five different games. For his career, Zellner has played in 60 games that includes 55 starts, 47 hits, 37 runs scored, 13 doubles, a home run, 35 RBI and 25 walks.
Seth Kuykendall
Kuykendall has spent the past three seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from Yakima Valley and is originally from Spokane, Wash. During his first season in Monmouth, Kuykendall saw time in two games and logged 5.2 innings in 2020. He picked up his first win with the Wolves tossing three innings and allowing no runs against Montana State Billings. Kuykendall pitched in eight games that included two starts during the 2021 season. He came away with a 3-0 record, logging 20 innings and posted 20 strikeouts. He went all seven innings to get the complete game win at Montana State Billings and added a four inning win at Northwest Nazarene. He added his third win of the season at the NCAA West Regional against the Nighthawks tossing 2.1 scoreless innings. So far this season, Kuykendall has four wins and added two saves in 31.1 innings, adding 38 strikeouts to just six walks. He pitched a season-high seven innings in a win over Eastern Oregon, allowing just one unearned run. Kuykendall picked up his first win of the season going 5.2 innings at Stanislaus State. He picked up his third win of the season going the final two innings against George Fox. This past weekend Kuykendall collected his fourth win of the year working three innings against Central Washington. He has multiple strikeouts in 11 games, reaching a season-high eight against Eastern Oregon. For his career at WOU, Kuykendall has pitched in 26 games including five starts, logging 57 innings, eight wins and two saves, along with 63 strikeouts.
Dwayne Angebrandt
Angebrandt arrived for his only season at WOU this year after transferring from Cal State Northridge and is originally from Santa Ana, Calif. He has pitched in 11 games this season that includes three starts. Angebrandt has logged 20.2 innings and has 23 strikeouts. He pitched a season-high 4.1 innings against Saint Martin's, went 3.2 innings against Montana State Billings and three innings against Central Washington. He reached five strikeouts in a game twice against Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings and has six appearances with multiple strikeouts.
Joe Kinsky
Kinsky has spent the past three seasons with the Wolves after transferring from Santa Barbara City College and is originally from Denver, Colo. During his first season in Monmouth in 2020, Kinsky pitched in three games, logging 4.2 innings and three strikeouts. He made his WOU debut throwing two shutout innings against Fresno Pacific. During the 2021 season, Kinsky appeared in seven games, tallying a win in 12.1 innings and posted 10 strikeouts. He went 3.1 innings allowing no runs to get the win at Montana State Billings. He also threw 3.1 innings at Northwest Nazarene in the NCAA West Regional. Kinsky posted multiple strikeouts in three games, reaching a high of four against the Nighthawks. So far this season, Kinsky has pitched in seven games that includes a start. He has a win in eight innings, adding 13 strikeouts. He tossed two innings to get the win at George Fox and also threw two innings later against the Bruins in Monmouth. Kinsky has a strikeout in five appearances, reaching a high of four against Bushnell. For his career at WOU, Kinsky has pitched in 17 games that includes a start, two wins, logged 25 innings and 26 strikeouts.
Parker Johnson
Johnson arrived for his only season at WOU this year after transferring from Indiana Wesleyan and is originally from Anchorage, Alaska. It's been a big season on the mound for Johnson as he leads the team with seven victories, pitching in 11 games that includes six starts. He has pitched 40.1 innings, while adding 35 strikeouts. Johnson picked up his first win with the Wolves at Fresno Pacific in the season opener pitching 2.1 innings. On the second trip to California he added win No. 2 against Stanislaus State tossing .42 innings of scoreless relief. Win No. 3 came at home at the start of GNAC play against Montana State Billings throwing 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. In the home series against Central Washington, Johnson moved into the starter role and collected his fourth win going five innings. He has won his past three starts going seven innings and allowing just one hit against Saint Martin's in a shutout effort to earn GNAC Pitcher of the Week. He then went five innings to get the win at Montana State Billings and then won this past week at Central Washington tossing six innings. Johnson has pitched at least four innings in seven games this season and has multiple strikeouts in nine games, reaching a high of six against Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings.
Jackson Holstad
Holstad has spent the past three seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from Chemeketa CC to return home originally from Monmouth, Ore. In addition to playing baseball, Holstad was a long snapper throughout his career for the WOU football team. Holstad played in one game during the 2021 season which was a start against Saint Martin's, tallying a run and an RBI. It's been a big senior season for Holstad this year playing in 36 games that includes 34 starts, hitting .278 with 37 hits, 16 runs scored, eight doubles, a triple, two home runs, 28 RBI, six walks and eight stolen bases. He has multiple hits in 12 games, reaching a season-high three against Fresno Pacific and George Fox. Holstad has multiple runs scored in three games and has multiple RBI in seven games, driving in three in a game five times. He added home runs against Montana State Billings (twice).
Mike Peterson
Peterson has spent the past three seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from Walla Walla CC and is originally from Pullman, Wash. The all-region pitcher began his career in Monmouth during the 2020 season collecting a win in three starts, totaling 17 innings and nine strikeouts. He went eight innings to get his first WOU victory against Montana State Billings. It was an all-region performance during the 2021 season for Peterson when he went 6-0 in nine games that included eight starts. He pitched in 49 innings and added 35 strikeouts. Peterson picked up his first win of the season at Central Washington tossing six innings. Another win against the Yellowjackets followed in Monmouth going six innings and allowing just one run. Peterson went eight shutout innings in a win over Saint Martin's, adding nine strikeouts and allowed just one hit. Peterson's fourth win of the season was at Northwest Nazarene going six innings with seven strikeouts. His fifth win was at Montana State Billings going five innings and then added his sixth victory going 8.1 innings in the win at Saint Martin's. Peterson also pitched twice in the NCAA West Regional that year at Northwest Nazarene logging 6.2 innings. So far this season, Peterson has pitched in eight games that includes six starts. He is 1-0 in 39 innings, coming away with 37 strikeouts. His win came against Saint Martin's logging eight innings and tallying eight strikeouts. Five times this season Peterson has pitched at least five innings and has three appearances with at last six innings. He has multiple strikeouts in six games, going for a season-high eight against the Saints. For his career at WOU, Peterson has pitched in 20 games including 17 starts posting eight wins in 105 innings and has 81 strikeouts.
Matthew Dunaway
Dunaway has spent the past two seasons playing for the Wolves after transferring from Skagit Valley and Saint Martin's and is originally from Mililani, Hawaii. Dunaway turned in an all-conference performance in his first season in Monmouth during the 2021 season collecting three wins in eight games that included seven starts. He logged 32.1 innings and had 49 strikeouts. He picked up his first win with the Wolves against Montana State Billings tossing five innings and striking out 10. He followed that up with a seven inning win against Saint Martin's allowing just one hit and striking out eight. He added his third win of the season going six innings against the Saints with seven strikeouts. Dunaway had a strong start in the NCAA West Regional at Northwest Nazarene going 5.2 innings with 10 strikeouts. He pitched at least four innings in five games and went for at least five innings in four games. Dunaway tallied multiple strikeouts in seven games, reaching a high of 10 twice against Northwest Nazarene and Montana State Billings. So far this season, Dunaway has pitched in nine games that includes four starts, he also has a save in 23.2 innings and has 37 strikeouts. Dunaway threw six innings at Stanislaus State and struck out a season-high 12 batters. He also went five innings against Eastern Oregon with eight strikeouts and four innings against Fresno Pacific with nine strikeouts. Dunaway recorded the save against the Saints going two innings of scoreless relief. For his career at WOU, Dunaway has pitched in 17 games that includes 11 starts, coming away with three wins and a save in 56 innings with 86 strikeouts.
Michael Moore
Moore has spent the past three seasons at WOU after transferring from Lane CC and is originally from Eugene, Ore. He pitched in four games in his first season in 2020, collecting a win in 6.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. Moore grabbed his first win at WOU at Fresno Pacific tossing a scoreless inning in relief. During the 2021 season, Moore added another win in six appearances and logging 6.1 innings, while adding seven strikeouts. Moore collected his win in the first appearance of the season against Saint Martin's going 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. He also threw a pair of two inning games against Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin's. He added three strikeouts against the Saints. So far this season, Moore has pitched in 14 games, picking up a win and two saves in 13.2 innings with 13 strikeouts. Moore collected a save at Stanislaus State working a scoreless inning with a save. He then picked up his first win of the season in his next appearance against Stanislaus State going 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Moore's second save of the year was at home against Eastern Oregon tossing a scoreless inning. Moore has thrown at least an inning in 10 games, reaching a season-high 2.1 innings against Fresno Pacific. He has two strikeouts in three games this year. For his career at WOU, Moore has pitched in 24 games, picking up three wins, two saves in 26.1 innings and has 31 strikeouts.
WOU (25-15, 15-9 GNAC) enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak having won the last three games against Central Washington and then defeated Bushnell this past Tuesday. The Wolves have been strong at home going 12-4 on the season and have gone 3-1 in all three GNAC home series. This will be the first home game since Apr. 5 against George Fox as WOU then played nine straight on the road going 6-3 traveling to Billings, Ellensburg and Eugene.
During the first meeting between the teams in Idaho back on Mar. 18-19, the Nighthawks won three of four, but the entire series was close. The final two games of the series were decided by a run, while the first two games of the series were decided by two runs. The Wolves won the second game of that series, 6-4, in 12 innings.
NNU has gone 7-3 over the past 10 meetings, while WOU is 52-31 at home in the series since 2002. The previous 11 games were all played in Nampa, as the last games that were played in Monmouth were in April 2019.
The Maiben twins are off to another strong season and are ranked 1-2 in leading the team in batting average. Jacob Maiben is hitting .348 with 46 hits, 32 runs, four doubles, two triples, a home run and 17 RBI, along with 21 walks and 13 steals. Derek Maiben is hitting .315 with 46 hits, 34 runs, five doubles, a triple, a home run, 29 RBI, 14 walks and 17 steals. Jackson Holstand is hitting .278 with 37 hits, 16 runs, eight doubles, a triple, two home runs, 28 RBI and eight steals. Anthony Zellner is hitting .268 with 30 hits, 17 runs, eight doubles, a home run, 18 RBI and 12 walks. Levi Cummings is hitting .267 with 20 hits, 26 runs, four doubles, two triples, a home run, 12 RBI and five steals. John Stark has been on a home run tear lately and leads the team with nine home runs, along with 24 RBI, while hitting .263 with 25 hits, 18 runs, three doubles and 13 walks. Logan Ho holds a .321 average with four doubles and eight RBI in 28 at-bats, Sebastian Morales is hitting .316 in 38 at-bats, with 12 hits, four doubles and two RBI, Leighton Moniz is hitting .304 with 14 hits, five doubles, a home run and four RBI. Justyn Herzog has his average up to .297 with 27 hits, 24 runs, seven doubles, two triples, three home runs and 24 RBI. Jacob Maiben and Derek Maiben are tied for the team lead in hits, Derek Maiben leads in runs scored, Zellner and Holstad are tied for the team lead in doubles, Herzog, Jacob Maiben and Cummings are tied for the team lead in triples, Stark leads in home runs, Derek Maiben leads in RBI, Jacob Maiben leads in walks and Derek Maiben leads in steals.
Curran Mitzel leads the team with a perfect 0.00 ERA in seven innings this year. He picked up his first win on the mound last time out against Bushnell. Sebasten Boivin leads the bullpen with a 2.10 ERA in 34.1 innings, picking up two wins and a save, along with 22 strikeouts. Dominic Miller holds a 2.70 ERA in 13.1 innings, adding 18 strikeouts and a win. Arturo Alvarez is a perfect 5-0 in 47.1 innings, holding a 3.04 ERA with 31 strikeouts. Bryce Bond has two wins in 29.1 innings, coming away with a 3.38 ERA and has 34 strikeouts. Matthew Dunaway has 37 strikeouts in 23.2 innings, along with a save and a 3.80 ERA. Parker Johnson has a team-high seven wins in 40.1 innings, adding 35 strikeouts and a complete game with a 4.02 ERA. Mike Peterson is 1-0 in 39 innings, along with 37 strikeouts. Chris Hardin picked up his team-leading third save against Bushnell, he has pitched 18 innings and has 21 strikeouts. Seth Kuykendall has four wins and two saves in 31.1 innings, along with 38 strikeouts. Dwayne Angebrandt has pitched 20.2 innings, posting 23 strikeouts and has three starts out of his 11 appearances. Chris Jones has pitched in four games this year and five total innings, while Joe Kinsky and Michael Moore have the other two wins on the staff, Moore also has two saves in 13.2 innings. Kinsky has pitched eight innings this year. Both have 13 strikeouts.
Northwest Nazarene is 24-16 overall and 16-8 in GNAC play. The Nighthawks lost three of four this past week at Saint Martin's and hold just a one game lead over the Wolves in the GNAC standings. NNU has gone 12-14 away from home this year, while posting a 12-2 mark in Nampa.
Haden Keller leads the offense and the pitching staff, hitting .320 with 39 hits, 23 runs, three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 19 RBI. On the mound, he has a team-high six wins in 50.1 innings, holding a 2.86 ERA and has 54 strikeouts. Duke Pahukoa is second on the team with a .318 average, coming away with 42 hits, 23 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 22 RBI. Grant Kerry has hit nine home runs and 28 RBI, while posting a .313 average coming away with 46 hits and 28 runs. Parker Price is hitting .308 with 44 hits, 24 runs, 12 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBI.
In addition to Keller on the mound, Max Holtzclaw has a team-low 2.36 ERA in 26.2 innings, adding three wins and 10 saves, along with 46 strikeouts. Fellow reliever Blake McFadden has five wins and two saves in 30 innings, holding a 2.40 ERA with 42 strikeouts. Spencer Schwehr has started 10 games and has two wins in 52.2 innings, posting a 3.59 ERA and has 34 strikeouts. Brock Moffitt has three wins in six starts, logging 36.2 innings and has 47 strikeouts with a 3.68 ERA. Shane Martin adds three wins and Kyle Ethridge has two wins.
Entering this week, Northwest Nazarene leads the GNAC standings with a 16-8 record, followed by Western Oregon's 15-9 mark. Montana State Billings is third at 11-9, Saint Martin's is fourth at 8-12 and Central Washington is fifth at 6-18. The top-three teams will advance to the GNAC Championships that will take place May 12-13 in Monmouth hosted by WOU.
Live video and stats will be available for the games against Northwest Nazarene. Live video can be found here and live stats can be found here.
Tickets can be purchased here or can be purchased at the gate by cash only.
