LACEY, Wash. - Severo Rodriguez singled home the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on Saturday morning as the Northwest Nazarene baseball team completed a 4-3 victory, winning the game suspended on Friday night due to darkness.  Saint Martin's rallied to take the Saturday doubleheader 7-6 and 2-0 to complete the four-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference series in Lacey.

The Crusaders fall to 11-6 overall and 1-4 in GNAC play following the weekend series, while Saint Martin's improved to 8-7 overall and 4-3 in conference action.

Andy Pottenger (2-0) earned the win on Saturday morning and Kyle Holloway was credited with his first save of the season as the Crusaders scored the only run in the final inning played on Saturday.

The Crusaders carried the momentum into the first inning of game three, scoring four runs on five hits to open the contest as Zach Aakhus and Mitch Kochis each smacked RBI singles and Tim Puckett plated two RBI with another single.  NNU would get five of their 10 hits in the game in the first inning.

Aakhus added another RBI in the third on a fielder's choice and Jimmy VanBeek homered in the fifth, his second of the year, however SMU would continue to chip away, scoring the go-ahead runs in the eighth to take the game 7-6.

Nate Slonaker (1-1) took the loss and Andrew Speer (1-1) earned the win for the Saints.

In game two, Crusader starter Chris Mahelona (0-2) held the Saints to just four hits, but allowed single runs in the second and third for all the offense SMU needed.

Saint's starter Nick Bolthouse (2-1) was equal to the task, allowing just three NNU hits in earning the win.

The Crusaders will travel to Western Oregon University next weekend for a four-game GNAC series beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday.


Game Two (completed from Friday, due to darkness)
Northwest Nazarene 4, Saint Martin's U. 3 (Mar 07, 2008 at Lacey, WA) (Game 2)
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Northwest Nazarene.. 020 100 1 -  4  8  4      (11-4, 1-1)
Saint Martin's U.... 002 001 0 -  3 11  0      (6-7, 2-3)
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Pitchers: Northwest Nazarene - Fields; Pottenger(3); Holloway(7). Saint Martin's U. -
Neisinger; Leshner(7).
Win-Pottenger  Save-Holloway  Loss-Leshner  T-2hr 30m  A-0
Game: NNU15

Game One - Saturday
Saint Martin's U. 7, Northwest Nazarene 6 (Mar 08, 2008 at Lacey, WA) (Game 1)
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Northwest Nazarene.. 410 010 000  -  6 10  2      (11-5, 1-2)
Saint Martin's U.... 210 100 12X  -  7 12  1      (7-7, 3-3)
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Pitchers: Northwest Nazarene - Holloway; Grant(7); Slonaker(8). Saint Martin's U. - Leshner;
Speer(8).
Win-Speer  Loss-Slonaker  T-2hrs 20m  A-0
HR NNUM - VanBeek,J.
Game: NNU16

Game Two - Saturday
Saint Martin's U. 2, Northwest Nazarene 0 (Mar 08, 2008 at Lacey, WA) (Game 2)
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Northwest Nazarene.. 000 000 0 -  0  3  2      (11-6, 1-3)
Saint Martin's U.... 011 000 X -  2  4  0      (8-7, 4-3)
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Pitchers: Northwest Nazarene - Mahelona. Saint Martin's U. - Bolthouse.
Win-Bolthouse  Loss-Mahelona  T-1hr 30m  A-72
Game: NNU17