BILLINGS, Mont. - Sean McDonald filled the both the boxscore and the highlight reel on Friday afternoon as the Northwest Nazarene University baseball team swept Montana State University Billings, winning game one 7-4 and taking the nightcap 6-0.

 

The wins improve the Crusaders to 27-11 overall and 12-10 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.  MSU Billings falls to 14-19 and 5-13 in league action.

 

McDonald started game one in centerfield, where he made two full-out diving catches and added a third grab on a dead sprint across the outfield into the gap, and then pitched a six-hit shutout in game two, improving to 3-1 on the year.

 

"Mac battled for us all day long," commented NNU skipper Tim Onofrei.  "He made three game-changing plays in the outfield and then just battled on the mound.  He worked himself out of a couple jams on the hill and really competed."

 

"The day was full of great defensive plays by both teams," Onofrei added.  "Both teams made some game-changing infield plays today and it was fun to watch good baseball by both sides."

 

Justin Henry led the Crusaders in game two, going 2 for 2 with a pair of RBI's, while Ty Windall and Logan Parker each had two hits in game one.

 

Derek Bettinson and Ryan VanBeek each had three RBI's in the opener as Bettinson hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth and VanBeek plated two with a single in the sixth and scored Windall with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

 

The Crusaders trailed 4-3 into the ninth in game one, but Bettinson's home run pushed the Crusaders in front 7-4 after Windall had singled to right field to tie the score at 4-4.

 

Kalen Hruza picked up the win to improve to 4-0 in relief of starter J.T. Brodrick and Ryan Brown earned his second save of the season in working the bottom of the ninth.