MONMOUTH, Ore. – Mike Peterson shut down the Montana State University Billings hitters for eight innings, helping Western Oregon to an 11-1 victory in the opening game of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference baseball season Saturday afternoon at WOU Baseball Field. The Yellowjackets saw their 3-game win streak halted by the Wolves, who posted 12 hits and took advantage of MSUB defensive mistakes.
MSU Billings (8-3, 0-1) and Western Oregon (3-2, 1-0) will finish game two Sunday morning at 11 a.m., then play a scheduled doubleheader to conclude the four-game series at 12 p.m. in Monmouth.
Game 1 – Western Oregon 11, MSU Billings 1
Starting pitcher Mike Peterson threw a gem in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader for Western Oregon with 8.0 innings pitched and one earned run allowed on four hits. Peterson also struck out three and walked zero against the high-powered Yellowjacket offense. The Wolves took advantage of four 'Jacket errors and scored seven runs on five hits in the fifth inning after they sent 11 men to the plate.
MSU Billings failed to get a base runner aboard until
Sam Powers singled to center field with one out in the top of the sixth. They scored just a single run in the seventh when
Tanner Cantwell grounded out. By contrast, Western Oregon pounded 12 hits including three doubles by left fielder Jacob Maiben. Connor McCord raked two doubles on four hits with four runs batted in from the three spot in the batting order.
Tevin Hall (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season in the start for MSUB. Hall tossed 4.1 innings and allowed eight runs (three earned) on six hits, walked one, and struck out six.
Dylan Johnson entered the game in relief in the fifth. Johnson allowed three runs (zero earned), then pitched well for the remainder of the game. Johnson gave up six hits and struck out four.
The Wolves scored single runs in each of the first four innings before breaking the game open with their seven-run fifth.
Will Riley was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game for the Yellowjackets and went 1-for-3 with a double.
Game 2 – MSU Billings 3, Western Oregon 1
Play was suspended due to darkness at the conclusion of the sixth inning Saturday in Monmouth and resumed Sunday at 11 a.m. The Yellowjackets held on to a 3-1 lead to win the seven inning affair with two bases loaded walks in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Daniel Cipriano added insurance with a solo home run to left field in the top of the fifth.
Matthew Houlihan (3-0) continued his strong start to the season with 6.0 innings pitched. The redshirt freshman allowed one run (unearned) on three hits, walked two, and struck out seven while facing 22 batters.
Tyler Elliott pitched the final three outs Sunday morning to earn his second save. Elliott allowed a one-out double to bring the tying run to the plate but got Tyler Brandenburg to fly out, then struck out Anthony Zallner to end the threat.
The Yellowjackets collected just two hits off Western Oregon pitchers, but drew eight walks. Wolves starter Alan Vazquez (1-1) suffered the loss after tossing 2.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on zero hits, struck out three, and walked six. Logan Hatley threw 4.0 innings of relief with one earned run on two hits allowed. Hatley struck out three and walked a pair.
Cipriano and
Sam Powers were the only players to get on base via a hit. Left-fielder
Will Riley walked three times. MSUB left eight runners aboard while Western Oregon had four. The Yellowjackets began their scheduled Sunday doubleheader 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two from Saturday.
