Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
Monmouth’s rainout also moved Baseball but the team kept things in order for their first game, 6-5, on April 13.
Faced with a 4-1 deficit heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wolves were down and had to settle in to inch closer. Settling in meant sacrificial plays.
It started with a sacrifice fly that led senior infielder Jay Leverett in to score, and the Wolves continued the hunt. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Leverett returned again to single in a runner that cut the lead to one. The very next play, the bases still loaded, another sac fly by senior infielder Nyles Nygaard scored to tie it.
After the Cavs restructured the score at 5-4, the game looked to be in their hands. With a full count, one more out remained for the Wolves offense before a walk-off home run scored two for the come from behind win.
The duel continued on April 16, and so did the tightly contested gameplay. Concordia loaded the bases to start game two, and a triple ensued to score three in the third inning. Western took its turn in scoring off of Leverett’s sacrifice fly to bat in senior outfielder Jacob Martinez. The previous play shortened Concordia’s lead to 3-2, but the Cavaliers continued where they left off in the fourth scoring two more.
Western tried the comeback strategy again. First-year outfielder Griffey Halle’s solo homer and RBI were just short of the 5-4 defeat.
In the final game, Western tried once again to recover, and found themselves once more in the eighth, after being down 4-1. Their comeback trail started off with junior catcher Justin Wakem’s left field double that scored Nygaard.
One out remained with three on, and it was senior outfielder Cody Dykstra’s single through the left side enabling Wakem and sophomore outfielder Torreahno Sweet to tie. But an RBI single to left field was all the Cavaliers needed for the win.
Western gets four at home against the St. Martin’s University Saints from April 21-22. They’ll hit the mound first at 1 p.m.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
Photo by: Wouwolves.com
