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NAMPA, Idaho — Successful teams find ways to win when they aren't having their best day.

That's exactly what the Crusaders did on Saturday as pitchers Justin Pilgrim and Blake Mitchell led the way to a 3-1 win and a split for the Northwest Nazarene baseball team against visiting Montana State Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Elmore Vail Field.

"If I was ever glad to get a split it would be today after not playing very well, so I give the guy some credit for fighting their way through it," said NNU head baseball coach Rocke Musgraves, whose team fell 11-2 in the opener then rallied to claim the nightcap win.

"Pilgrim and Mitchell kind of put the team on their back tonight and carried us through this one," NNU's coach added.

The two pitchers needed to be sharp as the NNU offense squandered some big scoring chances early against the Yellowjackets.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the first inning, the Crusaders came up empty, and with runners at second and third with no-one out in the bottom of the third, NNU once again went scoreless.

That allowed the MSU Billings to scratch out a slim 1-0 lead as a Colter Sternhagen two-out, RBI double in the top of the second put NNU into comeback mode.
 

The Crusaders finally made their comeback in the bottom of the fourth as Andrew Helmstadter ripped a two-run double into the left-field corner, chasing home Kyle Redford and Colton McCluskey with just enough offense for the win.

"I knew we were gonna break through," said Pilgrim (2-0), who earned the win striking out three and scattering four hits in five innings on the hill. "The guys have been working on that late-inning hitting, especially under pressure, and they came through for us there.

"It was exciting, it was a good win."

Clinging to the one-run lead, the Crusaders handed the ball over to Mitchell who struck out one and retired the Yellowjackets in order in the final two frames for his first save of the season.

Tucker Campbell added a bit of insurance with an RBI single to right in the bottom of the sixth inning for NNU (10-8 overall, 5-3 GNAC).

A dramatic finish for the Crusaders after a dismal start to the day.

Ryan Johnson's solo homer gave NNU an early 1-0 lead in the twinbill opener, but the Yellowjackets (9-8, 3-5) plated two in the top of the third inning, and after the Crusaders tied it on an error in the bottom half of the frame, MSU Billings pulled away.

A solo homer to center by Luke Reinschmidt proved to be the game winner, giving the 'Jackets a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning before they plated six runs in the sixth to break the game opener.
 
"I think right now we're just kind of fighting ourselves," Musgraves said, adding, "it's going to end up being a good thing because I think we're learning how to deal with adversity right now.

"If we can take these lessons and learn from them then we're going to really consider this a positive day."

The Crusaders, who sit in second place in the GNAC standings after the weekend split, take the lesson's they learn on the road for a big weekend series at pre-season league favorite Western Oregon. The Wolves host NNU in doubleheaders this coming Friday and Saturday in Monmouth, Ore., with first pitch at 2 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Friday and at 1 p.m. (MT) on Saturday.