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BILLINGS, Mont. — One day after being disheartened by the host Yellowjackets, Northwest Nazarene returned the favor.

The Crusader baseball team rebounded strong after two last at-bat losses on Friday, blasting away early for a 12-7 win over host Montana State Billings, then holding on for a dramatic 7-6 win in extra innings to sweep Saturday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader against the 'Jackets.

"I thought we showed a lot of mental toughness to be able to overcome a very tough day yesterday," NNU head coach Rocke Musgraves said. "Our preparation and pre-game today was outstanding."

And it led to three home runs in the top of the first inning of the twinbill for the Crusaders (12-14 overall, 10-6 GNAC), who jumped up 6-0.

Billy King and Tim Jones hit two-run homers in the opening salvo, then Jarod Gonzales added a solo blast for the early edge.

A big lift for starting pitcher Adam Paulson (3-1), who earned the win striking out five and giving up just three runs in 6 1-3 innings on the hill.

"Adam Paulson did a good job of pitching with the lead and keeping his emotions in check when things didn't go well" Musgraves said.

Paulsen found himself with leads of 8-0, 10-1 and 12-2 before turning the game over to a trio of freshmen relievers who finished it up, as Bryan Black, Brennan Patterson and Koby Griffin didn't allow an earned over the final 2 2-3 innings.

A couple of late unearned runs made it a bit closer, but didn't spoil an offensive onslaught by NNU that saw each starter collect at  least one hit.
Gonzales led the way going 4-for-5, while King and Spencer Pollock also added three hits apiece in an 18-hit attack.

"I really like the way we're swinging the bats right now," Musgraves said. "If we can shore up our defense a little bit, we can make a run at this thing."

The offense kept clicking in the nightcap, jump-started by a three-run home run in the top of the first inning by Andrew Helmstadter.

That spotted Dylan Suppan a nice lead, but the Yellowjackets (10-14, 8-6) showed the comeback flair that won them two games Friday, as MSU Billings got a run in each of the first three innings to tie the game.

But the NNU offense — and specifically King — kept hammering away. King's second home run of the doubleheader, a solo shot to right, put the Crusaders on top 4-3 in the top of the fifth inning.
 

The lead was short-lived though as the 'Jackets rallied to tie it on back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the fifth, ending a strong start by Suppan.

He turned it over to reliever Brady Baker (4-0), who retired the next nine Yellowjackets batters he faced, as the game remained tied 4-4 past the end of the scheduled seven innings.


Still knotted up at 4-4 in the top of the ninth, NNU's bats finally broke through again as Kyle Redford led off with a double, then after the 'Jackets managed to hold him as second with a couple of quick outs, Casey Sheehan snapped the tie with an RBI single to center.

The Crusaders then got one big insurance swing from King, who blasted a two-run homer off the foul-pole in right for his third long-ball of the day and second of the game.

Huge insurance runs as MSU Billings rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth, and had the bases loaded, before Baker got a ground ball to Redford at second base for the final out of a dramatic victory.

A thrilling victory that keeps NNU firmly planted in second place in the GNAC standings with the mid-point in the league season approaching.

That midpoint will be this coming weekend as the Crusaders hosts first-place Western Oregon in back-to-back doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday at Elmore Vail Field, a series relocated from Monmouth, Ore., to the NNU campus.