MONMOUTH, Ore. – Enduring a rough defensive day that featured nine errors, the Montana State University Billings baseball team began Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a pair of defeats at the hands of host Western Oregon University Friday at the WOU Baseball Field.
 
The Wolves took advantage of five MSUB miscues on their way to a 10-2 win in the opener, before winning 8-1 in the nightcap thanks in large part to four more errors by the 'Jacket defense. "It's all about how we'll respond tomorrow," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "We had a tough defensive day, but I really believe in our group. We have been great defensively all season long, and I know we will bounce back tomorrow."
 
Hayden Foltz went 3-for-7 in the doubleheader to lead MSUB on a quiet day offensively, as the 'Jackets tabulated just nine hits in the doubleheader. MSUB moved to 8-10 with Friday's losses, and is now 0-2 in league play.
 
WOU's Spencer Weston was 5-for-9 while Anthony Zellner went 4-for-8 to help lead the Wolves on a strong day offensively. WOU improved to 8-6 on the season and started its conference schedule 2-0. "I tip my cap to their pitching staff," said Waddoups. "They did a good job challenging us all day. We had a lot of hard-hit balls that didn't fall, but that's baseball."
 
Game 1 – Western Oregon 10, MSU Billings 2
 
The Wolves struck first, with Jackson Holstad punching a two-out RBI-single into center field to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Three straight Yellowjackets reached base in the top of the second, with RBIs coming from Mitch Winter and Justin Lutz to pull MSUB ahead 2-1.
 
It was all Western Oregon after that however, as the Yellowjacket offense sputtered over the next seven innings of play. WOU held a 10-2 lead by the end of the seventh inning, and the Yellowjackets failed to gain any traction offensively being limited to six hits.
 
WOU starter Arturo Alvarez gave up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk in his 6 2/3 innings of work, on the way to his second win of the season. Sebasten Boivin and Dwayne Angebrandt combined to keep the 'Jackets scoreless over the final 2 1/3 frames.
 
Yellowjacket ace Dylan Barkley pushed through the shaky defense, allowing seven runs – four earned – on eight hits with six strikeouts and three walks in 5 2/3 innings of work.
 
WOU's biggest innings in the game were a three-run third and a three-run seventh, with Holstad delivering a key two-run single in the seventh on his way to a team-high three RBIs in the opener. Derek Maiben scored three runs and went 2-for-3, and was 1 of 5 Wolves to record multiple hits in the series opener.
 
Game 2 – Western Oregon 8, MSU Billings 1 (7 Innings)
 
MSUB starter Matthew Houlihan locked horns with WOU starter Bryce Bond, as the duo each put up three straight zeroes to begin the game. WOU broke through in the fourth, using a throwing error to score three times with two outs in the inning and move ahead 3-0.
 
MSUB got a run back right away, on an RBI-single from Foltz that brought Payton Flynn home. WOU's Seth Kuykendall retired the final six hitters of the game however, striking out four and preventing the 'Jackets from any hopes at a comeback. Wolves center fielder Jacob Maiben had a noteworthy day with the glove, taking away multiple deep drives to the gaps that had the promise of being extra-base hits off the bat.
 
WOU's three-run fifth inning featured two more errors by the 'Jackets, coupled with three walks as the hosts moved ahead 6-1. After a shutdown top of the sixth by Kuykendall, WOU put the game to bed in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs on an error and an RBI-single off the bat of Weston.
 
Houlihan gave up five unearned runs in his four innings of work, while striking out seven, walking six, and giving up five hits. Ty Wilson allowed three runs – one earned – on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk over the final two innings of the day.
 
THE BUZZ: Foltz was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…only eight of WOU's 18 runs scored on the day were earned…the Yellowjackets are now 34-86 all-time against the Wolves.
 
NEXT UP: The series concludes on Saturday with another doubleheader starting at noon Pacific/1 p.m. Mountain. Live coverage will be available online here.