NAMPA, Idaho - Down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Jon Keller's two-out double plated two runs and sent the Northwest Nazarene University baseball team home with a sweep of Great Northwest Athletic Conference foe Central Washington on Friday night at Vail Field in Nampa.  NNU took the nightcap 5-4 after winning the series opener 11-4.

 

The Crusaders (20-18, 12-9 GNAC) trailed 4-0 in game two as the Wildcats (8-26, 4-14 GNAC) jumped out early, scoring single runs in the second and third innings and added two more on a Kris Henderson two-run single in the fourth.

 

However, NNU starter Sean McDonald (3-0) would settle in, allowing just one hit past the fourth inning and recorded six strikeouts over the final three frames.  McDonald finished with seven strikeouts in the complete-game victory.

 

The Crusaders were led by Keller and McDonald at the plate, as each finished with two hits and Keller posted three game-two RBI's.

 

Kevin Walkenhauer (1-2) took the loss for Central Washington.  Jake Hammons and Chance Plutt each finished with two hits and one RBI.

 

NNU took control of game one in the seventh, scoring seven runs on seven hits, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles by McDonald, Kramer Uvila, and Keller.

 

Ty Windall, Cameron Louie, McDonald, and Uvila each finished with two hits, with McDonald plating four RBI.

 

Jesse Gwaltney improved to 4-3, allowing five hits over seven and one-third innings for NNU before Kalen Hruza and Ryan Brown provided quality relief work from the bullpen.

 

Bryce Hjellum (2-7) was tagged with the loss for CWU, who was led by Kevin Schneider's two-for-four effort at the plate.

 

The teams will return tomorrow for a doubleheader that begins at Noon.