Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NAMPA, Idaho – For the time being, the Wolves spoiled any thoughts Northwest Nazarene had of dethroning Western Oregon as the GNAC's top team.

The Wolves relentless offense kept tacking on runs, never giving the Crusaders a chance to rally and picking up wins of 12-1 and 8-4 Saturday in the teams' Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Elmore Vail Field on the NNU campus.

"We're going to get back after it on Monday," said NNU baseball coach

added a pair of hits to lead the Crusader offense in the opener.

In the nightcap, the Wolves plated two in the second inning and added three more in the fourth before NNU battled back in the bottom of the fourth.

Fighting to earn a comeback win, Ben Circeo and Nick Morelli each knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly, giving NNU momentum.

The Wolves then stole that momentum away with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth that saw Nathan Etheridge and Will Chavarria each single in a run and Austin Hamilton add an RBI double for an 8-2 edge.

NNU responded in the sixth as Circeo and Morelli each knocked in another run for the Crusaders, who simply ran out of innings to complete the comeback.

NNU now plays four nonconference games next weekend, hosting Lewis-Clark State, starting with a single game Thursday night at 5.

The Crusaders then head to Montana State Billings for their final regular-season series in a battle that will decide the final GNAC playoff berth.

While a berth in the three-team GNAC playoffs still looms large on the horizon for the Crusaders, the key for NNU will be to finish strong.

"We have to have the intent of getting better over the next couples weeks," Musgraves said.

While Circeo and Morelli each drove in a pair of runs in the nightcap, Flatt led the Crusader offense, hitting safely in both games and collecting with three hits on the day.