Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Crusaders settled for a slipt in a doubleheader pitcher's duel in the California Bay Area on Friday night.

Colton Loomis pitched seven strong inning and Jesse Hilyard provided the game-winning RBI as the Northwest Nazarene baseball team held off host Academy of Art for a 3-2 win to open a nonconference doubleheader Friday evening.

NNU then collected just three hits in a 3-1 setback in the seven-inning nightcap.

Loomis (2-1) struck out five and gave up just one earned run on the hill before turning the game over to NNU's bullpen to start the day.

Andrew Groves earned his third saves of the season, closing out the first-game win.

A Josh Hatfield RBI double in the top of the first inning got NNU (5-6 overall) rolling, then Tyler Davis added an RBI double in the fifth, snapping a 1-1 tie.
Hilyard then plated the eventual game-winner with an RBI sacrifice fly to left in the top of the eighth for the Crusaders.

Davis led the NNU offense going 3-for-3, while Tim Jones and Hatfield each had a pair of hits in the twinbill opener.

In the nightcap, the Urban Knights (2-6) plated two in the bottom of the fourth and made that hold up as the Crusaders lone run came on a fielding error in the top of the fifth.

Hatfield, Ben Circeo and Matt Lightfoot each had a hit in the nightcap loss.

The two teams meet again Saturday at noon (MT) for another nonconference twinbill to wrap up their four-game weekend series.