Wednesday, April 7, 2021
PETERSON SHINES, WOLVES SWEEP SAINTS: The Western Oregon pitching staff continues to get the job done in 2021 as the Wolves swept Saint Martin’s last week to improve to 9-3 in conference play (10-4 overall).
Senior Mike Peterson put on a display in Western Oregon’s 4-0 series-opening victory over Saint Martin’s on Friday. He held the Saints scoreless through eight innings of work, allowing just one hit while striking out nine to improve to 3-0 on the season. Fellow senior Trae Perkins closed the game, allowing just one hit while striking out one in the ninth inning.
Peterson was named the GNAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II West Region Pitcher of the Week for his performance.
Matthew Dunaway is having a solid sophomore campaign for the Wolves. He tossed a complete-game shutout in Friday’s 1-0 seven-inning nightcap, allowing just one hit with one walk and eight strikeouts. He ranks 40th in Division II with 13.74 strikeouts per nine innings.
The Wolves own a 4.09 team earned run average and lead the GNAC with a .211 opposing batting average, 85 hits allowed, 56 runs allowed and 37 walks allowed through 14 games. Their 6.95 hits allowed per nine innings rank No. 10 in Division II.
The Wolves will head to Nampa, Idaho, for a four-game series at first-place Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday. The Nighthawks lead the conference with a 3.70 earned run average.
WILDCATS WIN SLUGFEST IN GRAND FASHION: Three big offensive innings led Central Washington over Montana State Billings in a 21-15 slugfest in Friday’s series opener.
The Wildcats scored eight runs in the fourth inning, six runs in the fifth and six runs in the seventh while adding another insurance run in the eighth, hitting four home runs along the way.
Freshman catcher Austin Ohland hit the first homer, a three-run shot in the fourth inning. Senior outfielder Justin Hampson followed with a grand slam later in the inning to break the game open.
Sophomore outfielder Tyler McClain joined the home run party, slapping two of his own. McClain hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and then capped off his game with a grand slam in the seventh. McClain was named the GNAC Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .400 in the four games with three runs, eight RBI, two walks and the two bombs.
The Wildcats took three of four games from the Yellowjackets to get back to .500. They are 8-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
Central Washington will hit the road for four games at Saint Martin’s on Saturday and Sunday.
THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Tyler McClain, Central Washington
OF • 6-2 • So. • Bonney Lake, Wash.
McClain batted .400 as the Wildcats took three of four games from Montana State Billings at home. He went 6 for 15 with three runs, eight RBI, two walks and two home runs. McClain went 2 for 5 in Friday’s 21-15 opening-game win with a two-run homer in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the seventh. He closed the series by going 3 for 4 in Saturday’s finale with a run and an RBI single.
Also Nominated: Aaron Renaud (Saint Martin’s), Connor McCord (Western Oregon).
PITCHER
Mike Peterson, Western Oregon
RHP • 6-5 • Sr. • Pullman, Wash.
Peterson pitched eight strong innings to lead the Wolves to a 4-0 win over Saint Martin’s at home on Friday. Peterson allowed just one hit while striking out nine and faced just two batters over the minimum to improve to 3-0 on the season. Of his 101 pitches, 70 were for strikes.
Also Nominated: Dillon Larsen (Central Washington), Tanner Inouye (Saint Martin’s).
AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington took three of four conference games from Montana State Billings at home last week to get back to .500. The Wildcats swept Friday’s doubleheader, 21-15 and 7-6. They lost Saturday’s opener, 17-5, before winning the finale, 10-9.
• Sophomore outfielder Tyler McClain was named the GNAC Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .400 in the four games, going 6 for 15 with three runs, eight RBI, two walks and two home runs. McClain opened the week by going 2 for 5 in Friday’s opener with a two-run homer in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the seventh. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI single in nightcap. McClain closed the week by going 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI single in Saturday’s finale.
• Senior outfielder Justin Hampson went 7 for 15 in the series with six runs, five RBI, two doubles, two walks and a home run. Hampson went 3 for 4 in Friday’s first game with three runs, a double, a walk and a grand slam. He closed the series by going 2 for 4 with an RBI double in Saturday’s nightcap.
• Senior Dillon Larsen earned the win in Friday’s opener, allowing five earned runs on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings. He enters the week with a 6.53 earned run average and is tied for third in the conference with 34 strikeouts.
• Central Washington is ranked No. 6 in the latest NCBWA Division II West Region Rankings.
• Central Washington is 8-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play. The Wildcats will hit the road this week, playing at Saint Martin’s on Saturday and Sunday.
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped three of four games at Central Washington last week. The Yellowjackets lost both games on Friday, 21-15 and 7-6. They won Saturday’s opener, 17-5, before losing the finale, 10-9.
• With the game tied at 5-5 going into the ninth inning of Saturday’s opener, the MSUB bats erupted for 12 runs to claim the only win of the series.
• Junior Cort Dietrich earned the lone win on the mound in relief on Saturday. He allowed two hits and no runs with a walk and three strikeouts in four innings.
• Senior first baseman Tanner Cantwell led MSUB at the plate with a .600 batting average, going 9 for 15 with five runs, six RBI, two doubles, three walks and a home run. Cantwell went 2 for 3 with three runs, two walks and a two-run shot in Friday’s 21-15 slugfest. He followed by going 3 for 4 with a run and a two-run single in the nightcap. Cantwell went off again in Saturday’s win, going 4 for 5 with a run, a walk, an RBI single in the fourth inning and a two-run single in the ninth.
• Senior catcher Andrew Schleusner went 5 for 11 in the series with five runs, five RBI, two doubles and a home run. He enters the week with a .343 batting average.
• Montana State Billings is 5-11 in conference play (5-19 overall). The Yellowjackets will return to the diamond on April 16 and 17 as they host Northwest Nazarene.
NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene did not play last week. The Nighthawks swept Saint Martin’s on Mar. 26 and 27, winning by scores of 6-2, 3-0, 8-4 and 8-1.
• Senior Ben Johnson leads the GNAC with a 1.29 earned run average and is 4-0 on the season with 16 strikeouts in 21 innings. Johnson also boasts a .340 batting average with 11 runs and nine RBI.
• Freshman Kyle Ethridge is 3-0 on the season with a 4.07 earned run average. He is second in the conference with 36 strikeouts and fifth with a .234 opposing batting average.
• The Nighthawks have gotten the most offensive production out of senior third baseman Shawn Grandmont, who is batting .419 with a .543 on-base percentage and .797 slugging percentage. He has tallied 31 hits, 26 runs, 33 RBI, 15 walks, four doubles, three triples and six home runs. He also leads the conference and ranks No. 8 in Division II with 15 stolen bases.
• Northwest Nazarene moved up two spots to No. 13 in the latest NCBWA Division II Rankings. The Nighthawks are also ranked No. 21 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll. The Nighthawks hold onto their No. 2 spot in the NCBWA West Region Rankings behind Azusa Pacific.
• Northwest Nazarene is 17-3 overall and 11-1 in conference play. The Nighthawks have a big task at hand this week as they host second-place Western Oregon on Friday and Saturday.
SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s has lost 10 straight games after being swept by Western Oregon on Friday and Saturday. The Saints lost by scores of 4-0, 1-0, 8-6 and 4-1.
• Senior Tanner Inouye turned in another impressive pitching performance in Friday’s nightcap. He took a no-decision after keeping the Wolves scoreless through five innings, allowing six hits with four walks and eight strikeouts. He enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with a 3.70 earned run average and is tied for third with 34 strikeouts.
• Sophomore first baseman Aaron Renaud led the Saints at the plate with a .313 batting average, going 5 for 16 with a pair of doubles. His week was highlighted by a 4 for 5 performance in Saturday’s first-game loss.
• Saint Martin’s enters the week with a .198 team batting average and an 8.26 earned run average. The Saints lead the conference with 10 runners caught stealing, seven of which are from junior catcher Bryant Nakagawa.
• Saint Martin’s is 4-14 overall (1-11 GNAC). The Saints will look to get back in the win column as they host Central Washington on Saturday and Sunday.
WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon has won five straight games after sweeping Saint Martin’s last week. The Wolves won by scores of 4-0 and 1-0 on Friday and 8-6 and 4-1 on Saturday.
• Senior Mike Peterson was named the GNAC and the NCBWA Division II West Region Pitcher of the Week after throwing an eight-inning gem in the opener. Peterson allowed just one hit with no walks and nine strikeouts. He enters the week with a 1.57 earned run average, which ranks second in the conference.
• Sophomore Matthew Dunaway threw a complete-game shutout in Friday’s second-game victory, allowing one hit and one walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He posts a 2.37 earned run average.
• Senior first baseman Connor McCord led WOU at the plate, going 4 for 12 with four runs, six RBI, a double, two walks and three home runs. He hit a two-run homer in Friday’s opener. He closed the series with a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third in Saturday’s nightcap.
• Senior outfielder Blayze Arcano went 4 for 13 in the four games with two runs, five RBI, a walk and a home run. The homer was a big one as it came in the eighth inning of Saturday’s opener to give the Wolves an 8-6 lead and the eventual win.
• Western Oregon moved up two spots to No. 3 in the latest NCBWA Division II West Region Rankings. The Wolves also received votes in the NCBWA national poll.
• Western Oregon is 10-4 in conference play (9-3 overall). The Wolves will play at first-place and nationally-ranked Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.