Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders had plenty of fight, what they were missing were strikes.

After a long league weekend, the Northwest Nazarene baseball team went deep into its bullpen and called on several pitchers to compete in the first of two non-conference games against visiting Lewis-Clark State on Monday at Elmore Vail Field on the NNU campus.

But 17 walks and four more hit batters proved too much for the Crusader offense to overcome in an 18-10 setback to the No. 8-ranked team in the NAIA.

"Twenty-one free passes today is very concerning," NNU head coach Rocke Musgraves said. "You have to wonder if people really wanted to compete.

"The sad thing is I thought we had some guys show up today and answer the call, especially on the offensive side."

NNU's offense answered an early call for help, as the Warriors plated five runs in the top of the first inning.
 

NNU (10-11 overall, 8-4 GNAC) went right to work, though, as back-to-back two-run doubles by Kyle Redford and Jarod Gonzales quickly changed the games momentum.

After a scoreless second, the Crusaders then took the lead as Braden Hirsch cracked a two-run double into the left-center gap — the first and second collegiate RBIs of the true freshman's career — then Casey Cornwell added an RBI infield single and Tim Jones had an RBI sacrifice fly to score Hirsch for an 8-5 NNU lead.

But two walks in the top of the fourth inning helped LCSC (14-8) tie it as J.J. Robinson blasted a three-run homer to center.

The Warriors then took a 10-8 lead, scoring on an Evan Douglas RBI single and a throwing error in the top of the sixth, before the NNU offense answered the call once again.

GNAC Player of the Week Billy King started things with a solo blast over the center-field wall, then Andrew Helmstadter tied it with a solo shot to left.

All even once again, the strike zone eluded NNU in the game-changing top of the seventh inning as seven walks and a hit batter allowed LCSC to play eight runs on just three hits, breaking open a see-saw battle.

"This is going to be a tough one to swallow tonight, but we've got to man-up and come out and compete tomorrow," Musgraves said as the two teams face off again Tuesday at noon at Elmore Vail Field.