Box Score 1 | Box Score 2




NAMPA, Idaho — Northwest Nazarene celebrated "Senior Day" with a few dramatic "fireworks."

One of 11 Crusader seniors playing his final home game at Elmore Vail Field, Andrew Helmstadter blasted a walk-off home run over the left-field wall, giving his team a 2-1, walk-off victory in 10 innings over visiting Concordia to start a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday on the NNU campus.
 

Fellow NNU senior Jarod Gonzales then blasted a three-run homer to right-center, tying the nightcap and forcing extra innings before the Crusaders flair for the dramatic came up a bit short in a 6-5 setback.

"I'm just proud of my guys," NNU head coach Rock Musgraves said. "Today's a real emotional day, with all the seniors — for them to find a way to keep playing hard with all that was going on, I was just really proud."

But seeing Helmstadter's one-out, game-winning blast in the opener might have topped all the moments in Musgraves' 18-year head-coaching career. 

"When I look back at my career, when I pick my favorite moments, that's got to be up there in the top 10," NNU's skipper said. "A kid that's worked so hard for four years, Senior Day, stepping it up and hitting a walk-off — that was pretty special."

Helmstadter's ninth home run of his senior season was the second of the contest for NNU (19-19 overall, 17-11 GNAC), as Casey Sheehan hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, tying the score at 1-1.
 

That was all the offense either team mustered through regulation in a pitcher's duel that saw the Cavaliers' Gerhett Moser go nine innings and NNU's Adam Paulson work seven.
Paulson turned it over to senior Brady Baker (5-1), who earned the win with three shutout innings of relief.

Then came a "Senior Day" ceremony honoring Helmstadter, Gonzales, Baker, and fellow NNU seniors Blake Adkins, Nick Bland, Jaramy Jacobs, Billy King, Colton McCluskey, Brett Nielsen, Spencer Pollock and Joe Siegel.

After the break, the Cavaliers jumped up 3-0, but the Crusaders battled back as Sheehan's second home run of the day in the bottom of the first cut the difference to 3-1, and a Kyle Redford sacrifice fly plated another Crusader run for a 4-2 ballgame after four innings.

Trying to ice it, the Cavaliers got a run in the top of the fifth, and clung to a 5-2 lead with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Gonzales added to the day's drama.

NNU's senior first baseman launched his fifth home run of the year over the right-center field fence, tying the game and forcing extra innings.

An unearned run for the Cavaliers in the top of the eighth inning spoiled the dramatic comeback, though, as NNU settled for the split.

Helmstadter went 4-for-7 on the day to lead NNU, which next plays doubleheaders Friday and Saturday at Central Washington.