Game 1 Boxscore

NAMPA, Idaho – Jon Keller's two-run home run in the fifth put the Crusaders on top as the Northwest Nazarene University baseball team defeated Central Washington University 5-3 in the opening game of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference twinbill on Saturday afternoon at Vail Field.

Keller picked up where he left off last night, again responsible for the game-winning run as the Crusaders trailed 3-2 before his blast to right-centerfield made it 4-3 in favor of NNU. 

The left handed hitting Keller added another RBI in the seventh, a double down the right field line, scoring Sean McDonald, who had led off the inning with a double down the left field line.

Keller finished two-for-four and was joined by Ty Windall and Niko Hawes with two hits each.

J.T. Brodrick (4-5) earned the win, pitching 8 and 1/3 innings, scattering eight hits and surrendering two earned runs.  Kalen Hruza picked up his first save of the season, closing out the Wildcats for the final two outs of the game.

Chance Plutt finished two-for-three with one RBI to lead CWU, Kevin Walkenhauer was two-for-five, and Marcus Evans and Eric Sorensen joined Plutt with an RBI each.  Jake Millbauer (1-7) took the complete-game loss for CWU, finishing with two strikeouts and walking just one.