March 11, 2015
Contact: Nathan Webber
(503)305-8756/[email protected]
Wolves Battle Jackets, Crusaders Take on Wildcats in GNAC Play
PORTLAND, Ore. – Conference play is in full swing with four
teams playing GNAC series this week.
Western Oregon, the GNAC Team of the Week, won its
second consecutive series of the season after taking threeof-four from conference favorite Central Washington. The
Wolves have now split or won their last three series after
starting the year losing three straight to top six teams in the
west, according to the NCBWA West Region poll.
Standings and Schedule
GNAC
Team
Northwest Nazarene
Western Oregon
MSU Billings
Central Washington
Saint Martin’s
W
3
6
2
3
2
L
1
2
2
5
6
Overall
W
13
10
7
9
8
L
8
14
13
9
14
S
W3
W3
W2
L3
L3
UPCOMING GAMES
The Wolves will stay home for the second-straight week and
host Montana State Billings Friday and Saturday.
A main reason the Wolves have won eight of their last 11 is
because of their pitching, dropping their ERA almost a full
point in two weeks, while the Jackets have been putting up
huge offensive numbers all year.
MSUB is coming off a split with Cal Baptist where it took the
last two games after falling 4-3 in extra-innings in
consecutive games. MSUB’s second loss was the longest
game in GNAC history.
In their last two games though, the Yellowjackets outscored
Lancers 21-10 while hitting seven doubles and earning 12
walks.
The other conference matchup this week is a contest
between two teams ranked in the NCBWA West Region poll.
Ninth-ranked Northwest Nazarene will travel to Ellensburg to
take on Central Washington, which is tied for 10th in the
poll.
The Crusaders are one of the most dangerous teams in the
conference right now. Winners of 11 of their last 15, the
Crusaders are coming off their third series win in a row after
outscoring Saint Martin’s 38-19 in four games.
The Wildcats lost just their first series this season last week,
but still hold the conference’s best home-win record at 7-3.
At the CWU baseball field, the Wildcats have outscored their
opponents 77-53 while hitting 12 home runs. Their pitching
too has been stellar at home, allowing opponents to hit a
mere .226 while striking out 90 batters.
Saint Martin’s will get a break after its road series in Idaho,
playing one game on Saturday against its alumni.
FRIDAY, March 13
Montana State Billings at Western Oregon (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
Northwest Nazarene at Central Washington (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
SATURDAY, March 14
Montana State Billings at Western Oregon (DH), 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Northwest Nazarene at Central Washington (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
Saint Martin’s vs Alumni, 1 p.m.
Around the GNAC
Western Oregon’s Jesse Pratt became the fourth GNAC
pitcher this season to throw at least 10-strikeouts in a
game. Pratt recorded 11 K’s in seven innings of work,
joining Central Washington’s Brandon Williams, Montana
State Billings’ Brady Muller and Northwest Nazarene’s
Colben McGuire, who recorded his second 10-strikeout
game last week as well.
Montana State Billings’ Lee Busto is currently tied for first in
the nation in pitching appearances with 13. Busto hasn’t
fared well in all of his 13 appearances, losing five games,
but he has struck-out 12 batters while only allowing 1 home
run in 17.2 innings of relief work.
Western Oregon has fielded 30 double-plays so far this
season, 11 more than any other team in the conference. It
also leads the nation in this category.
Western Oregon’s Garret Harpole was named the GNAC
Player of the Week after driving in eight runs and scoring
five times in the Wolves series win over Central. In Sunday’s
two games alone, Harpole went 5-7 with seven RBI’s and
four runs scored. NNU’s Colben McGuire was selected as
Pitcher of the Week after throwing nine frames of two-hit
ball while striking out 11 Saints in his third win of the year.
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