BILLINGS, Mont. – The first two walk-off hits of Tyler Godfrey's baseball career both fell on Friday afternoon at Dehler Park, as the Montana State University Billings newcomer provided a pair of thrilling moments in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting Western Oregon University.
 
Godfrey smashed a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, making his second home run of the year count as the game-winner in the Yellowjackets' 5-4 victory in the nightcap. The dramatic swing of the bat came after Godfrey also won the opener, dumping a bases-loaded single beyond a shallow outfield to cap a four-run ninth inning in MSUB's 8-7 comeback triumph.
 
"That was the most fun thing ever," Godfrey said on his teammates rushing him behind second base after the first walk-off hit of his collegiate career. "Diego hit one a couple of weeks ago, and I was just thinking, 'man, that would be cool.' I saw everyone coming at me, and the team chemistry and camaraderie is crazy on this team. Everyone is all here for each other, and it is really cool playing for everyone."


 
Godfrey went 5-for-9 with six RBIs in the doubleheader. "The first game, I just tried getting the ball in the air and it ended up falling," Godfrey said regarding his approach in the bottom of the ninth inning. "The second time, I was hoping it was gone off the bat. It wasn't as much pressure, and I was pretty loose and relaxed."
 
The Yellowjackets improved to 20-16 overall and are now 11-7 in league play, surpassing Western Oregon for the No. 2 spot in the league standings. "It is huge for us, winning both games at home," said James Anderson, who got on base in 7 of 9 plate appearances in Friday's doubleheader. "It just comes back to what Wads preaches about next man up and never quit the fight. We talk about just believing in each other, and I think that's what we did in both games."
 
Anderson delivered constantly throughout the day, starting with an RBI-double off the top of the wall in the fourth inning of Game 1 before a solo home run to give MSUB a 4-0 lead in the third inning of Game 2. He leads the team this season in both categories, with 12 doubles and six long balls. "I wasn't really trying to do too much, especially against the pitching staff that Western Oregon has," Anderson said regarding his approach at the plate on Friday. "There are a lot of new guys that came in this year, and to be a part of this is really something special."
 
MSUB extended its winning streak to five games in-a-row, after closing last week's series at Central Washington with three straight wins. "We grinded out at-bats in Game 1, and we were able to get into their 'pen early," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "Baseball is a momentum sport. We just keep fighting and try to play it one pitch at a time, one game at a time."
 
Western Oregon slipped to 19-14 overall, and is one game back of MSUB in third place in the GNAC at 10-8 in conference play. Jacob Maiben went 3-for-8 with his first home run of the year, Derek Maiben was 3-for-7 in the doubleheader, and Justyn Herzog had a pair of hits including his second home run of the season which came in Game 2.
 
Game 1 – MSU Billings 8, Western Oregon 7
 
Maiben's solo home run boosted WOU's advantage to 7-4 in the top of the ninth inning, but the Wolves' bullpen collapsed in the bottom of the frame to set up Godfrey's first walk-off of the day. A hit batter and two walks set the stage for a two-run single off the bat of Hayden Foltz, before Anderson was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out and the score at 7-6. Cooper Dulich was hit by a pitch to tie the score, before Godfrey got enough of a 1-2 pitch to hit it over the head of the drawn-in Jackson Holstad in right field.
 
"One of the mantras all year has been next man up," said Waddoups. "Tyler got hit in the mouth with a weird, funky play last weekend and wound up with stitches in his lip. Not only did he have the two game-winners, but he had some other big at-bats for us throughout the day. He came out and was the dude today."
 
Godfrey's clutch knock helped Blake Rainey earn his first win in an MSUB uniform, as the right-hander limited WOU to one run on one hit with a strikeout and a walk in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Rainey's effective outing came after MSUB ace Dylan Barkley worked through 6 2/3 hard-fought innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and throwing 110 pitches. "Barkley just gives us a chance to win, and Rainey did the same thing," Waddoups commented on the Game 1 pitchers. "They minimized late innings and gave us a chance, and our offense is coming through right now."
 
Reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year Mike Peterson took the no-decision in the start for WOU, as he gave up four runs on six hits while striking out six and walking one in five-plus innings of work. Sebasten Boivin was the most effective WOU reliever, allowing just one baserunner in two shutout innings of relief.
 
The Yellowjackets overcame three separate deficits to claim the opener, with Godfrey's first big hit of the day being a two-run single during a three-run bottom of the sixth inning. The offensive burst came immediately after the Wolves jumped ahead 4-1 in the top of the inning, with all three runs being scored with two outs in the frame.
 
Logan Ho delivered a two-out, two-run double to the wall in center field in the seventh to make the score 6-4, but the 'Jackets found a way to claw back in the ninth and reverse the script.
 
Holstad had the defensive play of the day with one out in the third inning, using a full sprint to make a diving catch in foul territory on a high pop fly off the bat of PJ Ausmus.
 
Game 2 – MSU Billings 5, Western Oregon 4 (7 Innings)
 
One pitch away from heading to extra innings, Godfrey avoided the eighth inning with his solo shot that cleared the fence in right. He finished his big day going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and secured Tyler Elliott's fourth win of the season.
 
The Yellowjacket closer shook off surrendering a game-tying, two-run home run to Herzog in the top of the sixth, and bounced back to strike out the side in the top of the seventh to keep the game tied 4-4. "Elliott being able to compose there was huge," said Waddoups. "Obviously you don't want to give up the game-tying home run, but for him to strike out the side in the seventh was big. That's an easy spot for guys to blow up, but he kept it right there. Hats off to our pitching staff today."
 
The nightcap was a game of missed opportunities for the Wolves, who stranded eight runners – including seven over the first four innings of the game. MSUB starter Matthew Houlihan worked out of constant trouble in his 5 1/3 innings of work, as he struck out seven and walked four while allowing three runs on eight hits in the no-decision.
 
The most dramatic run-saving play came in the top of the second inning, when catcher AJ Wagenmann blocked a pitch in the dirt before shoveling the ball to Houlihan at home plate for a tag that was just in time to catch Anthony Zellner trying to score.
 
The Wolves loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single with two outs in the top of the third, but Houlihan got out of the jam with a routine ground ball to Ausmus at second base.
 
Godfrey was at the root of MSUB's three-run first inning, with a two-run double to right center that was followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Mason Powell. Anderson ripped the second pitch he saw from WOU starter Dwayne Angebrandt over the fence in center field in the bottom of the third, giving the 'Jackets a 4-0 advantage. Angebrandt allowed four runs on eight hits, with five strikeouts and a walk in his 3 2/3 innings of work.
 
The Wolves finally got on the board thanks to a wild pitch in the fifth, before rallying to tie the score with a three-run sixth inning highlighted by Herzog's homer.
 
THE BUZZ: Godfrey was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Godfrey became the second player in program history to have two walk-off hits in a doubleheader, joining Brad Birch who achieved the feat on May 3, 2014 in a sweep of Northwest Nazarene…Friday was the third time in school history MSUB registered two walk-off wins in a doubleheader, with the first being in an April 16, 2011 sweep of Northwest Nazarene and the second being on Birch's big day.
 
COMING UP: The series concludes with a noon doubleheader on Saturday at Dehler Park. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here.