BILLINGS, Mont. – Western Oregon University will return to the site where it hoisted the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Baseball Championships trophy a season ago, as Montana State University Billings will host the Wolves in a four-game conference series at Dehler Park beginning Friday.
 
The matchup will feature the conference's two reigning champions, as the 'Jackets claimed last year's regular-season title before falling out of the conference tournament and watching the Wolves take the crown.
 
MSUB (11-9, 5-7 GNAC) is coming off of a four-game series against Concordia University, in which the Yellowjackets won the first and third games and lost the second and fourth. The Wolves (9-10, 4-6 GNAC) dropped their last conference series, losing 3 of 4 in Portland, Ore., against Northwest Nazarene University last week.
 
Both doubleheaders this weekend will start at 1 p.m. and will be in the 9-inning/7-inning format, with action running Friday and Saturday. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available for all four games through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"Any series you play with Western Oregon is a high-energy series, because they're a good club," said MSUB head coach Rob Bishop on his team's upcoming opponent. "They are going to pitch extremely well and have some new faces that have put up good numbers offensively. I expect a battle, and it should be another highly-competitive series."
 

COX HONORED AFTER BIG WEEK: Sophomore designated hitter and right-handed pitcher Adam Cox picked up his first-ever GNAC Player of the Week honor, after going 6-for-12 with three doubles, a triple, and two home runs against the Cavaliers last weekend. Cox had a slugging percentage of 1.417, and also drew three walks and was hit by a pitch to get on base at a clip of .625. Adding six RBIs and five runs to his line as well, Cox now leads the team in batting with an average of .339 and he ranks No. 1 in the conference in slugging percentage at .714.
 
The right-handed closer was equally impressive on the mound, blowing away four of the six hitters he faced with strikeouts and pitching two perfect innings to earn his third save of the year in a 12-11 win in Game 1.
 
"He threw really well, and located all of his pitches," freshman Matt Dillon said on catching for Cox. "He was able to pound the zone with his fastball and got a lot of swing-and-misses. It's a great feeling (watching Cox hit). He steps into the batter's box and you know something is going to happen. It's fun to watch."
 
COOPER COLLECTS FOURTH VICTORY: Junior right-hander Cody Cooper remained as MSUB's rock in the rotation, striking out eight Cavaliers in seven strong innings to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Yellowjackets have won all five of Cooper's starts this year, and he has a GNAC-leading 42 strikeouts and just eight walks in 37 2/3 innings.
 
Cooper has had eight or more strikeouts in four of his five starts, and has pitched into the seventh inning each time out as well.
 
REINSCHMIDT HOMERS AGAIN: With the 'Jackets trailing 11-6 in Game 1, Luke Reinschmidt delivered a huge, three-run home run to right center field that helped in the team's rally to eventually win the ballgame. It was Reinschmidt's team-best sixth homer of the year, and he drove in four runs in the series and also scored four times.
 
Reinschmidt is second in the conference in slugging percentage at .638, behind only Cox. He leads the league in hits with 26 and RBIs with 27, and ranks second in runs (19) and home runs (6).
 
Reinschmidt is now tied for 10th in GNAC history in RBIs with 110, 13th in home runs (18), 17th in doubles (34), and 19th in runs scored (98).

GNAC Career Runs Batted In Leaders

 

Rk.	Name	School	RBIs	Years Played
1.	Greg McCarthy	Western Oregon	183	2002-05
	Jamie Nilsen	Central Washington	183	2005-08
3.	Bryce Gardinier	Western Oregon	165	2000-03
4.	Brody Miller	MSU Billings	158	2012-15
5.	Chandler Tracy	Saint Martin's	138	2012-15
6.	Sean McDonald	Northwest Nazarene	125	2009-12
7.	Matt Lowe	Northwest Nazarene	124	2000-03
8.	Adam Siler	Saint Martin's	118	2004-07
9.	Colby Robison	MSU Billings	111	2011-13
10.	Shane Schoeneberg	Saint Martin's	110	2005, 2007-09
	Kasey Bielec	Central Washington	110	2012-15
	Luke Reinschmidt	MSU Billings	110	2014-16

 
TOON KEEPS ON WALKING: Senior first baseman Kevin Toon drew four walks last week to push his GNAC-leading total to 20 on the season. He also had four hits in 13 at bats, maintaining his status as the conference's leader in on-base percentage at .478. Toon was close to having three more hits, as a would-be double was held onto just long enough before popping out of CU's center fielder's glove, a sharp grounder up the middle was deflected by the Cavs' pitcher and turned into a double play, and another hot shot bound for center was knocked down at the mound.
 
Despite playing in just his third season with MSUB, Toon is on the verge of breaking into the top-10 in GNAC history in walks as he is currently in 14th place.
 
GNAC Career Walks Leaders

 

Rk.	Name	School	Walks	Years Played
1.	Brody Miller	MSU Billings	110	2012-15
2.	Bryce Gardinier	Western Oregon	105	2000-03
3.	Adam Siler	Saint Martin's	101	2004-07
4.	Jamie Nilsen	Central Washington	94	2005-08
5.	Chandler Tracy	Saint Martin's	92	2012-15
6.	Kaleb DeHaas	Northwest Nazarene	83	2012-15
	Nate Baker	Saint Martin's	83	2005-08
8.	Zach Leonard	Saint Martin's	82	2009-12
9.	Andrew Elke	Saint Martin's	79	2010-11
10.	Bub Bergstrom	Saint Martin's	72	2003-04
	Shane Schoeneberg	Western Oregon	72	2005, 2007-09
12.	Greg McCarthy	Western Oregon	70	2002-05
	Joey Price	Western Oregon	70	1999-2002
14.	Kevin Toon	MSU Billings	68	2014-16

BIG BALLGAME FOR BERKRAM: A 3-for-6 performance at the plate highlighted the series for junior Myles Berkram, who drove in three runs and scored two more in Game 3 against the Cavs. Berkram nearly had a triple his first time up, but a diving catch in right field stole what would have been his fourth hit of the game. The Billings native hit his first triple of the year his next time up, and is tied for fifth on the team with a dozen runs scored this year.
 
BUSTO FINISHES GAME 3: Appearing in 3 of 4 games out of the bullpen, senior reliever Lee Busto finished the job on Sunday as he tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Cooper. Busto had a pair of strikeouts and scattered four hits, and did not walk a batter in his longest appearance of the season.
 
With three more appearances, Busto is now tied for seventh in GNAC history in games pitched, with Sunday's outing marking his 67th.
 
GNAC Career Pitching Appearance Leaders

 

Rk.	Name	School	App.	Years Played
1.	Kalen Hruza	Northwest Nazarene	85	2008-11
2.	Tip Wonhoff	Saint Martin's	80	2004-07
3.	Kaleb Wilson	Saint Martin's	77	2008-12
4.	Nick Patee	Northwest Nazarene	74	2003-06
5.	Chase Decoito	Saint Martin's	71	2012-15
6.	Anthony LaDue	Saint Martin's	69	2010, 2012-14
7.	Aaron Stuvland	Northwest Nazarene	67	2002-05
	Lee Busto	MSU Billings	67	2013-16
9.	Ryan Brown	Northwest Nazarene	66	2009-12
	Brad Banker	Saint Martin's	66	2012-15

 
DILLION DRIVES IN FIRST RUN: Stepping up with MSUB trailing 11-9 in the seventh inning of the first game, Dillon bounced his first career hit into center field and drove in a run to set the 'Jackets up for their comeback. He then handled Cox behind the plate over the next two innings, contributing in a big way to the win.
 
On Sunday, Dillon was called upon to take over in left field, where he was tested after one out had been recorded in the sixth inning. Racing back and to his left, Dillon reached up on the warning track and hauled in a deep fly ball into the gap to record an out. He followed in the bottom of the inning with another single, as he went 2-for-3 with two runs scored at the plate on the weekend.
 
"I was just trying to get on base and get the next guy up," Dillon said on his first career base hit. "I hit a ball into the ground on a two-oh pitch, and was fortunate enough for it to bounce over the second baseman's headinto center field."
 
STEEN STEPS UP: Freshman right-hander Steen Fredrickson had his best appearance to date, eating up four scoreless innings and striking out four for the 'Jackets in relief on Saturday. Fredrickson allowed just one walk and one hit against the 'Cavs, tossing 59 pitches in the long-relief stint.
 
"I was just trying to do what I could, help the team and throw strikes," Fredrickson commented. "It being my second career appearance, I was a little nervous, but I just wanted to go out there and do my job."
 
DURBIN HOMERS, SNAGS CLUTH DOUBLE PLAY: Senior third baseman Kyle Durbin hit his second home run of the year on Sunday, lifting a solo blast over the right-field fence in MSUB's 10-3 victory. He also had one of the top defensive plays of the weekend for MSUB, making a diving catch on a low line drive to his left and doubling off a runner at first to get his team out of a first-and-third jam with one out.
 
STERN STAYING PRODUCTIVE: Senior second baseman Colter Sternhagen had five more hits last weekend, including his team-leading seventh double of the year. Sternhagen drove in three runs, had a pair of multi-hit games, and continued his solid defensive play handling eight chances without an error. He hasn't had a fielding miscue since Feb. 14, and holds a fielding percentage of .962 on the season.
 

PETERSON HEATING UP, HANDLING PITCH CALLING: Starting all four games behind the plate, sophomore Landon Peterson handled 20 defensive chances without an error in the series against CU. At the plate, the left-handed hitting catcher went 3-for-10 and scored a run. He has been solid in the batter's box as of late, raising his average 68 points since March 5.
 
PITCHING, HITTING ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON: Having no trouble transitioning from hitting in the lineup to pitching for the 'Jackets, junior Tanner Watson had success on the mound and in the box last weekend. The left-handed hurler did not allow a hit and struck out two in 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in Game 1 of the series on Saturday. He was responsible for plating MSUB's only run of the second game, coming up with an RBI-single and also drawing a walk at the plate.
 
In limited at bats this year, Watson is hitting .412 (7-for-17) with a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored.
 
TEAM BATTING: The Yellowjackets are leading the GNAC in on-base percentage (.390), runs scored (129), hits (194), RBIs (114), doubles (41), total bases (287), and walks (96).
 
ON THE MOUND: MSUB holds the top spot in the conference in strikeouts (155), and holds a 5.25 ERA as a staff.


Western Oregon University Wolves
Friday, March 25 – 1 PM – DOUBLEHEADER (9 Inn./7 Inn.)
Saturday, March 26 – 1 PM – DOUBLEHEADER (9 Inn./7 Inn.)
Dehler Park, Billings, MT
2016 Record: 9-10, 4-6 GNAC
Head Coach: Kellen Walker, 4th season
2015 Record: 29-24, 21-11 GNAC (2nd, GNAC Tournament Champions)
 
The Wolves are coming off of a tough neutral site series against Northwest Nazarene, as the Crusaders took the final three games after WOU won the first 6-1. In a low scoring series, NNU won by scores of 5-3, 3-2, and 4-2, as each team totaled 13 runs.
 
WOU is being led by reigning GNAC Freshman of the Year and GNAC Pitcher of the Year frontrunner Brady Miller, who leads the league with a 0.82 earned run average and has 40 strikeouts in 33 innings over five starts. Miller has surrendered just three earned runs this year, and has given up just 36 baserunners for a WHIP of 1.09.
 
The team's two other main starters have been outstanding as well, with Gary Steindorf holding a 2.78 ERA in 22 2/3 innings and Darrien Moran with a 3.73 ERA in 31 1/3 innings. WOU's team ERA of 2.83 leads the league, as eight of the team's pitchers hold an ERA of 3.00 or lower.
 
Offensively, the team is led by junior transfer Trevor Podratz, who is the lone regular batting above .300 at .313 in 19 games this year. Podratz has a pair of home runs among his team-leading 20 hits, and has driven in 12 runs on the year. Heavy-hitting first baseman Nathan Etheridge leads the team in RBIs with 14, and is batting .279 through 17 games.
 
Reigning GNAC first-teamer Cody Sullivan leads the team with three home runs, and is batting .232 with 10 RBIs and 13 runs scored. Kyle Vanderkin, a transfer from Gonzaga, has shown some pop with seven extra-base hits and eight RBIs.
 
The Wolves are batting .242 as a team and lead the league in fielding percentage at .977 with just 15 errors on the year.
 
The Series: Historically, WOU has held the upper hand with a record of 55-12 against MSUB. The 'Jackets are 6-28 all-time in games played in Billings, but the teams split the six games that were played at Dehler Park a season ago.
 
Last Time Out: WOU ended MSUB's season with a 4-3, extra-inning win over the 'Jackets in the conference tournament last May. Toon was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk the last time he saw the Wolves, and Corey Morris and Berkram each had a hit as well.