Thursday, May 7, 2015

BILLINGS, Mont. – Western Oregon needed 10 innings to get past top-seeded MSUB for a 4-3 win to reach the GNAC Championship series Thursday at Dehler Park in Billings, Mont.

Western Oregon will face third-seeded Northwest Nazarene Friday at noon. The Wolves will have to win two games tomorrow if they want the GNAC Championship title because this is a double-elimination tournament.

An RBI-single by Brandon Oliver proved to be the game-winner as the Wolves reached the GNAC Championship series for the third-straight year.

Western Oregon’s Garret Harpole got the Wolves on the board first as he doubled to left, scoring catcher Michael Sherwin in the second. The Wolves added to their lead in the third with a sacrifice fly.

Down 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Yellowjackets were gifted a run via a walk by the reining GNAC Pitcher of the Year Jesse Pratt.

Pratt ran into more trouble in the bottom half of the fifth as an error, single and walk loaded the bases for Kevin Toon. The redshirt junior would take advantage of the opportunity and single to center field, scoring a pair.

Harpole would tie the game in the top of the seventh, singling to center field and scoring Oliver who doubled to right.

Both pitchers, MSUB Jake Campeau and WOU’s Pratt, threw seven innings while allowing three runs apiece in their final career starts. Pratt ended with eight strikeouts while Campeau had one in their no-decisions.

The Wolves tried to take advantage of MSUB’s new pitcher in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with no one out. The Yellowjackets got out of the inning unscathed amazingly as shortstop Corey Morris collected a groundout to force an out at home and started a double play a batter later. 

The next two frames would remain scoreless as the game went into extra innings. In the top of the tenth, two Wolves would walk to put runners in scoring position. Oliver would single through the right side two batters later to plate Matt Taylor for the game-winning run.