Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
LOS ANGELES —Kyle Redford led off the top of the 10th inning with an infield single and scored on a Matt Lightfoot ground ball, giving the Northwest Nazarene baseball team its first win of the year.
The Crusaders topped host Cal State Los Angeles, 2-1, in 10 innings to open a nonconference doubleheader on Saturday. The Golden Eagles then got a solo run in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings, and plated the walk-off winner in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 4-3 win in extra innings in the nightcap.
"We got to play in a couple tight baseball games today which I think is going to be too our advantage later on in the year," NNU head baseball coach Rocke Musgraves said.
"I thought we did a good job in a tough situation," added NNU's coach, whose team has had three days on a field outside this week after practicing the last month indoors because of snow covering Elmore Vail Field on the NNU campus. "Are guys constantly battled throughout the day and we had some nice performances by some kids.
"Just the opportunity to get outside right now means a whole lot to us."
A Casey Cornwell RBI single in the top of the second inning put NNU (1-2 overall) up early in the twinbill, and Ross Clevenger battled on the hill into the sixth, giving up just a run in the fourth to the Golden Eagles (5-1).
The Crusader offense couldn't break through in regulation, though, and headed to the 10th inning deadlocked, 1-1.
That's when Redford singled to third and moved to third on a one-out base knock to right by Braden Hirsch.
Redford then scored the game winner on a bobbled ball off the bat of Lightfoot.
Brady Baker (1-0) made the run hold up, earning the win in relief as he worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He and Clevenger combined to strike out 13 CSULA batters in the win.
The NNU pitching staff combined to strike out nine more hitters in the nightcap, led by Dylan Suppan who fanned six in five innings work.
Lightfoot had the opening RBI for NNU, an RBI fielder's choice in the top of the third cutting a 2-0 deficit in half, and Spencer Pollock added an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning, tying the game, 2-2.
Brett Nielsen broke the deadlock with an RBI single to left in the top of the seventh, but the Crusaders couldn't close out the win.
Redford had a pair of hits in the opener to lead the NNU offense, while Colton McCluskey and Nielsen each had a hit in each game.
The Crusaders now get Sunday off before wrapping up their season-opening four-game series with the Golden Eagles at 7 p.m. (Mountain time) on Monday in Los Angeles.
