By: Burke De Boer Sports Editor
After a month of rain delays stalled the start of the season, Wolves baseball opened conference play with a double header demolition job of Montana State Billings.
Wolves won the first game 9-4, with junior pitcher Brady Miller recording the win. They took the second game 3-2, with a win for senior Elias Bodella and junior Cam Walker getting a save.
The games continued on March 6, where the Wolves pulled off an 8-7 win and were in the process of throttling the Yellowjackets a fourth time until snowy weather postponed the game. It will pick back up in April, with the Wolves holding a 7-0 lead in the sixth.
The March 4 meet up was the first time the Wolves got to play a game since the Feb. 16 trip to San Diego. That’s a 16-day bye week. While Montana State Billings had 10 games to warm up their season, the Wolves had only been able to play four, with the rest of their schedule canceled or postponed.
The day opened with junior fielder Jacob Martinez being walked in the first at-bat and soon scoring a run off designated hitter Joey Crunkilton’s RBI double.
Martinez was again walked in the third inning, and ultimately scored his second run on a sacrifice fly from junior third baseman Nyles Nygaard.
Runs continued to pour in throughout the later innings. Junior second baseman Jay Leverett batted in runner Koty Fallon in the sixth, and was shortly batted in for a run of his own.
The seventh inning saw Crunkilton score on a Nygaard single, and again an RBI was repaid when Nygaard was batted in by a Leverett double.
Miller’s efforts on the mound over the first six innings allowed only one run as he struck out nine Yellowjackets.
Nygaard had a run and three RBIs off two hits in the game. Jay Leverett recorded the same statline. Outfielders Martinez and Brock Pradere each scored two runs off of three at-bats.
“It felt a little unusual being out there at first because our season started so awkwardly,” Joey Crunkilton said. “We responded the best way we could’ve anticipated and I think we’re in a good spot going forward.”
The second match of the first day was a more defensive affair.
While the Yellowjackets recorded nine hits, the Wolves’ defense was able to hold them to only two runs.
A Crunkilton triple in the first inning put him in scoring position, and he was batted in by Nygaard. Sophomore first baseman Koty Fallon and sophomore catcher Justin Wakem were both ran in by first year shortstop Hunter Johnson in the sixth to clinch the 3-2 victory.
The high scoring third game saw seven different players score to contribute to the 8-7 victory.
“We prepared for the games the same way we’ve been doing all year,” Crunkilton said. “Our practices are high energy and competitive as we look to improve every day.”
The Wolves visit Concordia this weekend for two days of double headers.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
