Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


LEWISTON, Idaho — Opening day was filled with mixed emotions for the Crusaders.

The Northwest Nazarene baseball team came out swinging, handing Corban (Ore.) a pleasing 8-4 defeat to start the 2016 season, only to leave the diamond a bit disappointed after a 5-3 loss to Lewis-Clark State on Saturday in the Guardian Plumbing, Heating & A/C Tournament hosted by LCSC.

"It's early," NNU head baseball coach Rocke Musgraves said, "so it is kind of hard to swallow, but we're learning where we stand and what we need to work on.

"It's my job to put people in situations to be successful — some guys welcomed the big stage and some guys showed they still have to develop the mental habits of champions.

"These guys will do that," Musgraves added. "I have full confidence in my guys."

Jesse Hilyard banged a double down the left-field line in the top of the second inning, plating the first run of the season as the Crusaders jumped up early against Corban.

Ryan Johnson added a sacrifice fly in the rally, and Spencer Pollock had an RBI groundout that put NNU on top 3-0, and the Crusaders never looked back.

Johnson scored on an throwing error in the top of the fourth for the Crusaders (1-1 overall), giving them a 4-1 lead, and Hilyard doubled home two more runs in the fifth for NNU, which tacked on a run on another Warrior throwing error in the sixth.

Colton McCluskey added on an RBI single in the top of the ninth, plenty of offense for Crusader pitchers Blake Mitchell and Colton Loomis, who combined on the win.

Mitchell gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out four pitching the first 4 1-3 innings and Loomis (1-0) picked up the win in relief, pitching 4 2-3 scoreless innings and fanning two.

In the second game of the day against the host LCSC Warriors, a two-run triple by Andrew Helmstadter tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the fourth inning, then Josh Hatfield broke the tie with an RBI single in the fifth.

The 3-2 Crusader lead didn't hold up, though, as LCSC (3-0) got a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to spoil the NNU debut of starting left-handed pitcher Jaramy Jacobs.

Jacobs (0-1) was the hard-luck loser as he surrendered four runs on five hits while striking out six in six strong innings of work.

Hatfield, McCluskey and Helmstadter each had a pair of hits in the nightcap for NNU, while Hilyard was 2-for-5 in the opener for the Crusaders.

NNU is back on the road next weekend, playing Holy Names and Dixie State in a pair of games, each, on Friday and Saturday in St. George, Utah.