Western Oregon Sweeps Series from Yellowjackets

Game One

Game Two

BILLINGS, Mont. – Great Northwest Athletic Conference leader, Western Oregon, swept a four game series at Montana State Billings Saturday afternoon at Dehler Park, 16-4 and 6-3.  With the losses, the Yellowjackets fell to 8-28 on the year and 7-17 in GNAC play.  WOU improved to 26-11 overall and 21-3 in conference play.

“We didn’t come out ready to play in the first game,” assistant coach Luke Wheeler said.  “They took advantage and won the game.  In the second game Brian (Howe) threw strikes and he left a couple of pitches high and they took advantage.  We hit the ball and played good defense, but came up a little short. 

The Yellowjackets have lost 11-straight and 16 of 19.  MSUB’s last win came in a 13-12 victory over Central Washington, Mar. 27.

WOU jumped out early and often in the opener, plating seven runs in the first three innings.  Lead-off batter, Grant Glover, hit a home run off MSUB starter, Ryan Pollock, on the very first pitch of the game to left field.  The Wolves plated five more runs in the second inning, helped out by a Yellowjacket miscue.

MSUB got on the board in the bottom of the frame as Matt Schoonover began the inning with a single to left center.  A Sam Kinzeler double to right center scored Schoonover courtesy of an error by WOU for a 5-1 score.

The middle frames saw the Wolves tack on seven more runs with three in the fourth and four in the sixth and two more in the seventh for a 16-2 lead.  The Jackets scored a run courtesy of a Patch Wirtzberger lead-off double in the fifth and a sacrifice bunt by Jonathon Crews.  Brian Dukart followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Wirtzberger.

The offense began to get on track in the ninth for MSUB as Brady Chavez reached on an error to begin the inning.  A Ryan Dennehy triple scored Chavez and Dukart singled home his second run of the game for a 16-4 score.

WOU’s Jacob Pettit (5-1) went seven innings, allowing six hits, two runs – one earned, two walks and two strikeouts.  Pollock (0-5) took the loss as he went just 2.1 innings, allowing six hits, seven runs – five earned and five walks.  MSUB used four pitchers in the game and no pitcher pitched more than three innings.

The offense continued to sting going in the nightcap as MSUB plated two runs in the first inning for its first lead in the series.  A WOU miscue helped the cause as Dukart reached on an error, followed by singles from Kessler and Schoonover for the first run of the game.  A Chris Round single moments later plated Kessler for the second run. 

WOU cut the deficit in half in the second using a nice bit of “small ball.”  Kyle Boe singled up the middle, followed by a single from Daniel Dillard and a sacrifice bunt from Andrew Irvine put runners at second and third with one out.  Devon Bouvier grounded out to score the run.  MSUB pitcher, Brian Howe, then made a great grab on a come-backer by Cesar Lopez who grounded out to end the frame.

The Jackets swelled the lead to 3-1 on a Jaret Chatwood home run to left, his fourth of the season in the third inning. 

Lopez homered in the fifth to start the comeback for WOU.  After a hit batsman, Glover belted a two run shot to left to put WOU up for good, 4-3.  Irvine then homered in the sixth for two more runs and a 6-3 margin.

The Jackets tallied eight hits in the game and no errors.  Chatwood led the way with two hits as seven different Yellowjackets collected a hit.  Glover was 2 for 4 with two RBI for WOU. 

Howe (1-8) went the distance, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts.  WOU pitcher, Jerad Thompson, lasted just one inning, allowing three hits and two unearned runs.  Gavin Hite (1-0) earned the victory in relief, going three innings, allowing three hits, one earned run and one walk.  Kirk Lind picked up his third save of the season.

The Yellowjackets host an exhibition doubleheader Wed., Apr. 21 at 4 p.m. at Dehler Park versus Miles Community College and then return to conference play with a four game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. at Dehler Park versus Northwest Nazarene.