Friday, May 11, 2018

ELLENSBURG, Wash.  – Coming down to the final game of the tournament, No. 2 seed Western Oregon outlasted No. 1 seed Montana State Billings for an 8-4 win to claim the 2018 GNAC Championships title, the Wolves second in as many years.

Western Oregon’s Jacob Martinez was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after finishing the tournament by going 9 for 16 with two RBIs and a .750 on-base percentage as the leadoff hitter.

Entering the final game averaging 11.5 runs per game in the tournament, MSUB was limited to just four runs on six hits as the Wolves’ Jacob Fricke tossed nine innings for his first complete game of the year.  

After falling to the Yellowjackets earlier in the day with a 6-4 defeat, Western Oregon rebounded for 13 hits and seven walks. Montana State Billings finishes the year 32-18 overall while the Wolves improve to 27-21.

Western Oregon opened the game on a high note after putting up five runs in the first inning. All of its RBIs came off the bat of five different players.

Montana State Billings scratched back a couple of runs in the second and third inning. Hayden Humphrey drove in his first RBI of the game in the top of the second before Wyatt Setian drilled his fourth home run of the year after over the right-field fence in the third. Kade Hall became the Yellowjackets’ all-time hits leader after drilling the 75th of his career in that same inning.

With two outs in the sixth inning, Kaleo Johnson nailed his fifth home run of the tournament after driving a solo shot to left field to cut Western Oregon’s advantage 5-3.

Connor McCord notched his sixth RBI of the tournament and added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to extend WOU’s 6-3 advantage. Jared McDonald put the contest to rest after lining a two-RBI single down the right-base line to give the Wolves an 8-3 lead. The RBIs were his second and third of the tournament.

The Yellowjackets’ Ryan Myers pulled a run back in the top of the ninth after smashing a solo shot to right field. He finished the tournament with five home runs.