Wolves Split with Warriors, Win Series

Salem-News.com SPORTS

TURLOCK, Calif. - Western Oregon lost a slugfest in game one and then used effective pitching from freshman starter Mike Cusick in game two to gain a baseball split with Cal State Stanislaus on Sunday afternoon in Turlock.

The Warriors used an 8-run inning in the first game to outlast the Wolves 14-10, and then Cusick went five innings without giving up an earned run during a 3-2 WOU win in the nightcap.

With the split, Western Oregon won the series 3-1, and improved to 9-13 on the season. Cal State Stanislaus is now 14-13.

The Warriors took game one 14-10, using an eight run second inning to establish control.

The Wolves would eventually close the gap to 11-9 in the seventh inning, but the Warriors tacked on three more runs in bottom of the eighth inning making the score 14-9 heading to the ninth.

AJ Valentine finished the game three for five with four RBI for the Warriors.

Boo Christenson highlighted the Wolves attack going five for six with two doubles and a triple.

Bryan Stone had three hits in four trips to the plate, while Kevin Corrigan, Brent Mertens and Aaron Sutton had two hits each. Corrigan and Mertens each had home runs.

In game two, the Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Kevin McCarthy singled, stole second, advanced third on a throwing error and scored on a groundout.

The Wolves knotted the game at one with a solo home run by Mertens in the second.

The Warriors would add a run in the bottom half of the frame and the score would remain 2-1 until the top of the sixth.

With one out, Warrior pitcher Jeff Harter hit Travis Coursey with a pitched and walked Mertens.

They both advanced on a failed pick off attempt.

Tony Jones then laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score pinch runner Roberto Reyes.

Pat Kelly then concluded the scoring with an RBI single.

The Wolves would hold on for the 3-2 victory.

Kelly was the only player for either team to collect multiple hits.

Cusick went five innings, giving up just two hits and no earned runs.

He walked two and fanned three. Mike Ward came out of the bullpen to pitch two nearly perfect innings to get the win.

He gave up two hits, no runs and struck out two.

Western Oregon will now return home for only the second time this season, hosting Northwest Nazarene in a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

The games will serve as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference openers for WOU.

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