Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
Click here to purchase action photos of this doubleheader!
NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene University baseball team used the long-ball on Tuesday afternoon in Nampa, defeating Hawaii Pacific University 6-3 in the opening game of a four-game NCAA Division II West Region series against the Sea Warriors.
HPU rebounded to take game two 12-7, courtesy of a nine-run third inning for the Sea Warriors.
In game one, Ryan VanBeek hit a first inning three-run home run and Sean McDonald smacked a two-run dinger in the fourth as the Crusaders improved to 14-13 overall and handed HPU (21-6) just their sixth loss of the season.
J.T. Brodrick (2-3) earned the win for the Crusaders and Ryan Brown collected his third save of the year, holding the Sea Warriors scoreless over the eighth and ninth innings.
McDonald, VanBeek , and Greg Christiensen each finished with two hits, with VanBeek plating a team-high four RBI.
Michael Greene (3-1) took the loss for HPU. The Sea Warriors were led by Blake Amaral (3-5, 1 RBI) and Sean Winston (2-3) at the plate.
NNU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning of game two, scoring five earned runs on five hits, including another VanBeek home run, a two-run blast over the left field wall. It was VanBeek's fourth of the year.
However, HPU rallied hard in the third, scoring nine runs, six unearned, as the Crusaders issued five walks in the frame, to take a 9-5 lead. The Sea Warriors chased NNU starter Jon Keller and reliever Kalen Hruza, with Zeb Sneed coming on to record the final out of the inning.
Sneed then settled in to a groove, striking out nine over the course of the next 3 and 2/3 innings of relief work.
The Crusaders scored two in the fifth to cut the lead down to 10-7, but HPU answered with two seventh inning insurance runs for the final 12-7 tally.
HPU starter Caelen O'Meara (4-1) picked up the win, while Keller (2-3) took the loss for NNU.
Connor Rankin (2-4), Ty Windall (2-4), and VanBeek (2-4) all finished with two hits for the Crusaders, with Rankin and VanBeek each plating two RBI.
HPU's Amaral again led the visitors, going 3-for-5 with three RBI.
The team return tomorrow for another 4 p.m. twinbill.
