Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
NAMPA, Idaho - Centerfielder Sean McDonald set a Northwest Nazarene and Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-game record with seven hits leading the Crusaders to a 22-7 win over Hawaii Pacific University Wednesday in the opening game of a doubleheader at Vail Field. The Sea Warriors came back to win the nightcap 9-4 to complete the four-game NCAA Division II West Region series with each team winning two games.
The previous NNU record for hits in a single game was five, shared by Matt Garringer (1988 vs. Denver Univ.), Greg Wilcox (1989 vs. Western Baptist), Matt Benear (1997 vs. Whitman), Dan Benedick (2000 vs. Eastern Oregon), Joe Cabansag (2004 vs. College of Idaho), and McDonald (2009 vs. Central Wash.).
The previous GNAC record for hits in a single game was six shared by Jake Burns of Central Washington against Western Oregon in 2002 and WOU's Greg McCarthy against Northwest Nazarene in 2005.
McDonald was just one shy of the NCAA Division II all-time single game record of eight, held by Adrian Clark (New Haven vs. Westfield State, April 25th, 1989).
McDonald, who raised his average 43 points in the contest, had five singles, a double and a triple. He scored four runs and drove in two. He then went two-for-two in the second game, finishing the day nine-for-nine.
In all, NNU banged out a NNU team record and GNAC-record tying 27 safeties, including six doubles and three triples. The Crusaders matched the previous team record for hits set by CWU against Saint Martin's in 2004 and broke the NNU team record of 25, set against Western Baptist in 1998.
Northwest Nazarene scored all but one of its runs in three innings, getting five in the first, 10 in the third and sixth in the seventh. In addition to McDonald, rightfielder Ty Windall and shortstop Cameron Louie each had three hits. Seven different players drove in two runs.
Ryan Brown (2-0) earned the pitching win for the Crusaders with Toby Inouye (3-2) taking the loss for Hawaii Pacific.
The Crusaders opened game two scoring two quick runs in the first, but Hawaii Pacific answered with two in the third, fourth, fifth, and three in the sixth to take control of the nightcap. Kevin Matsumoto (1-1) earned the win and NNU's Jesse Gwaltney (3-3) took the loss.
Ryan VanBeek led the NNU offense in game two, going three-for-four with one RBI and McDonald and Windall each finished with two hits.
Rylan Morihara (3-for-5) led HPU's 12-hit attack, joined by Jordan Inamasu and Lester Akeo, who each went two-for-three with one RBI. Blake Amaral finished one-for-three with a two-run homerun in the third, his sixth of the season.
Entering this week's series, Hawaii Pacific (22-7) was ranked 4th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Region Poll and Northwest Nazarene (15-14) was ranked 10th. HPU is also receiving votes in the NCBWA Division II national poll.
The Crusaders will return to GNAC play on April 2nd and 3rd when they travel to Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash. for a four-game conference series.
