Western Oregon (5-7) at #10 Northwest Nazarene (10-2-1)
2 p.m. (PT) Friday (DH) | Elmore W. Vail Field (Nampa, ID)
12 p.m. (PT) Saturday (DH) | Elmore W. Vail Field (Nampa, ID)
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GNAC STANDINGS | GNAC STATISTICS | WOU STATS | WOU STAT RANKINGS

SERIES HISTORY ...
VS. NORTHWEST NAZARENE

• All-time: 153-65
• Streak: Won 2
• 2023 Record vs. NNU: 5-5

THE WOLVES ...
LAST WEEK: 2-2 at Oregon Tech
STREAK: Won 2
SPLITS: Home 3-1 | Road 2-4 | Neutral 0-2
TEAM STATS (GNAC Ranking: Out of 5 Teams):

• Runs/Game: 7.92 (1st) | AVG: .305 (1st) | ERA: 6.77 (4th) | Fielding %: .959 (3rd)

Western Oregon bounced back from losing both ends of a doubleheader last Saturday against Oregon Tech (including one in walk-off fashion) to win both games Sunday - 14-2 and 11-9. It was the sixth time in 12 games this season the Wolves scored 10 or more runs (4-2 in those games). Curran Mitzel paced the Wolves on the weekend by going 8-for-20 with a homer, two triples, seven RBI and eight runs while Arturo Alvarez earned GNAC Pitcher of the Week by tossing a seven-inning complete game - giving up one earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

On the season, the Wolves feature three of the top 10 hitters in the conference - including catcher Collin Irwin leading the GNAC with a .405 average. John Oleson is sixth at .367 while Curran Mitzel is 10th at .347. Irwin also leads the the GNAC in on-base percentage (.476)  while Mitzel is fourth in slugging percentage (.612), Justyn Herzog is second in runs (15) and Oleson, Mtzel and Zach Valdez are tied for third in RBI with 13 (Owen Bischoff isn't far behind with 11 and Tyler Mohler has 10).

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT ...
#10 NORTHWEST NAZARENE (10-2-1)
LAST WEEK: 3-1 at #12 Colorado Mesa
STREAK: Won 1
SPLITS: Home 2-0 | Road 8-2-1 | Neutral 0-0
TEAM STATS (GNAC Rankings out of 5)

• Runs/Game: 6.77 (2nd) | AVG: .277 (3rd) | ERA: 4.69 (2nd) | Fielding %: .980 (1st)

The Nighthawks are coming off a statement series win at No. 12 Colorado Mesa - winning three of four against the tradition-rich Mavericks. NNU is now 4-2 against ranked opponents (split two games with then-No. 21 Point Loma to open the season).

Kaller Saunders paces the Nighthawks at the plate with a .400 average - second in the GNAC. Kaleb Karpstein has drivn in a GNAC-best 18 runs in just 13 games to go along with his .314 average. As a team, NNU has 29 stolen bses - first in the conference and 33rd in D-II this season.

On the mound, Kyle Ethridge has led the way for the Nighthawks with a 1.83 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 15 strikeouts, two walks and a batting average against of .179 in 19.2 innings of work.

WOU NOTES ...
ALVAREZ NAMED GNAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK (FEB. 26) | RELEASE
Western Oregon's Arturo Alvarez was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week on Monday after hurling a complete game Feb. 25 at Oregon Tech. The senior went all seven innings and surrendered just one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks in the Wolves' 14-2 win over the Owls. Alvarez got stronger as the game went on - retiring the final nine batters of the game in order. 

WOLVES PICKED TO WIN GNAC, SIXTH IN REGION | GNAC RELEASE / NCBWA RELEASE
The two-time defending GNAC champion Western Oregon baseball team has been picked to win the conference when the GNAC released its preseason coaches poll on JAN. 25. The Wolves, who have won both the regular-season GNAC title and GNAC postseason tournament the last two years, picked up two of the five first-place votes and finished with 21 points, a point ahead of Northwest Nazarene - who had one first-place vote. Central Washington and Montana State Billings each received a first-place vote as well and tied for third with 13 points while Saint Martin's finished last with eight points. The rankings are the same order the conference finished last season with the Wolves atop the conference with a 20-9 record (30-15 overall) - 4.5 games ahead of second-place NNU.

In the National College Baseball Writer's Association NCAA Division II West Region Preseason Poll released Jan. 22, the Wolves were picked sixth in the conference. WOU was one of two GNAC teams in the rankings along with Northwest Nazarene at No. 9.

CHALMERS, SHIPLEY NAMED NCBWA PRESEASON WEST ALL-REGION | RELEASE
Western Oregon pitchers Dylan Chalmers and Ryan Shipley were selected to the NCBWA NCAA DII Preseason West Region Team on Jan. 23. Chalmers is coming off a 2023 where he was named the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year and was named to three different all-region first teams (ABCA/Rawlings, NCWBA and D2CCA) after going 7-1 with a 3.13 ERA - striking out 36 and holding opponents to a .245 average in 63.1 innings of work. Shipley was named the regional reliever selection after going 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and five saves. The senior had 23 strikeouts and a held opponents to a .160 batting average in 29 innings of work.