Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



NAMPA, Idaho — Friday, it truly was a game once again for the Northwest Nazarene baseball team as the Crusaders just had fun.

Looking to play more relaxed despite the season winding down and the playoff and Great Northwest Athletic Conference title race heating up, the Crusaders did just that, enjoying an 8-1 and 7-2 sweep of visiting Concordia at Elmore Vail Field.

"We want to start playing more relax, start having more fun, and I thought we did that today," NNU head coach Rocke Musgraves said. "Instead of pressing at the end we kind of want to shift gears and relax a little bit.

"I think sometimes we play the game a little too tight," NNU's skipper added. "You know what? The guys had some fun today."

With aces Ross Clevenger and Jaramy Jacobs setting the tone on the hill, and the offense swinging away all day, it was a fun afternoon at the baseball diamond for NNU, which jumped up early in the first game and rolled to a win, then was unfazed by an early one-run deficit in the nightcap.

After back-to-back singles by Brett Nielsen and Kyle Redford to start the bottom of the fourth inning in the day's first game, Andrew Helmstadter came through with one big swing, a two-run double down the left-field line that ignited NNU's sweep.

Spencer Pollock then added an RBI single for a quick 3-0 lead.

Plenty for Clevenger (4-2), who struck out seven Cavalier batters in the complete-game win, giving up just a solo home run to Tanner Williams in the fifth inning.

But his teammates made sure Clevenger felt no pressure on the hill as Tim Jones, Colton McCluskey and Billy King each drove in a run in a four-run sixth inning, then Jarod Gonzales added an RBI double in the seventh for a commanding 8-1 edge.

King, Casey Sheehan, Helmstadter and Pollock each had two hits apiece to lead the Crusaders (18-18 overall, 16-10 GNAC) in the opener.

In the nightcap, NNU didn't rack up as many hits, yet still scored in bunches to support Jacobs (4-3), who gave up just a solo run in the top of the third inning.

Down 1-0, NNU answered with a run on a throwing error to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning before King doubled home two more, and Nielsen blasted a three-run home run to left for a comfortable 6-1 Crusader advantage.

Helmstadter added to the lead with a solo homer to left in the bottom of the sixth inning to make a winner out of Jacobs, who struck out nine batters in six innings before turning it over to Cobi Johnson. Johnson worked a scoreless seventh to seal the victory.

Pollock added two more hits to lead NNU's offense in the nightcap, a sweep that sends the Crusaders into a big Saturday doubleheader with momentum.

A Saturday that will be "Senior Day" as NNU will honor 11 seniors playing their final home game — Blake Adkins, Brady Baker, Nick Bland, Gonzales, Helmstadter, Jacobs, King, McCluskey, Nielsen, Pollock and Joseph Siegel.