Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



NAMPA, Idaho — There was no limit to the fight in the Northwest Nazarene baseball team Saturday, no matter what hard knocks went against them.

Overcoming a rough start to the day and an error that could have led to a disastrous letdown, instead the Crusaders rallied time and again to earn a walk-off, extra-inning win and a doubleheader split against visiting Montana State Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at Elmore Vail Field on the NNU campus.

"We've been struggling on the pitching and defensive end; it's really hard for us to win baseball games right now," said NNU head coach Rocke Musgraves whose team won 8-7 in extra innings to cap the day after falling 14-4 in Saturday's opener. "I'm proud of our guys for finding a way to salvage that last game and get a split."

Right out of the gate NNU (16-18 overall, 14-10 GNAC) struggled on the hill and in the field as the visiting Yellowjackets got back-to-back doubles from Zach Robinson and Casey Merritt to ignite a seven-run rally, a charged helped by a throwing error in the top of the first inning.

The Crusaders never overcome that rough start, though they tried as Billy King had an RBI single in the bottom of the first, Casey Sheehan added a solo home run in the fourth and NNU added two more runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Not enough to catch MSU Billings' fast start and constant offense, though.

An offense that plated two runs in the top of the first inning in the nightcap, as well.
 

But with a less daunting lead to overcome, the Crusaders battled back with one swing, a two-run home run by Andrew Helmstadter in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 2-2.

The Yellowjackets (13-20, 11-12) put NNU right back into a hole as Ryan Myers hit a three-run homer in the top of the third inning, but the resiliently Crusaders wouldn't be denied as Helmstadter drew a bases loaded walk, then a two-out error allowed King to score, closing the game to 5-4 after three frames.

NNU then tied it on an RBI double by Colton McCluskey in the bottom of the fourth inning, and grabbed its first lead of the day on a King sacrifice fly to center.

A Kyle Redford RBI double to center field in the fifth inning put the Crusaders on top, 7-5, and it looked like NNU had it won as a two-on, two-outs ground ball to second baseman Casey Cornwell could have ended the game in the top of the seventh.

Instead, a throwing error allowed both base-runners to score for MSU Billings, which forced extra innings with the game tied, 7-7.

"That was heart-wrenching, but credit to our guys, they stayed in it and fought back," Musgraves said.

Led by Adam Paulson, who started the day's first game and was chased in the first inning, but like the rest of the Crusaders squad, he kept on fighting.

"During game two he came up to us and said, 'Coach, give me the ball back, I've got to have the ball back,'" Musgraves said of Paulson, adding, "'OK, you got it, we trust you.'"

Paulson (4-3) got his redemption as he allowed a single in the top of the eighth, but shut down the Yellowjackets, setting the stage for a dramatic finish by the Crusaders.

Paulson's teammates responded by loading the bases with one out, then Redford drew a walk for the literal walk-off winner.

"It's hard for us to win," Musgraves said. "Every team goes through that point in the year where they do everything they can to win and things just don't go their way, but we found a way."

NNU found a way helped by nine walks and three hit batters in the nightcap as the Crusaders had just six hits in the victory, two each by Helmstadter and Sheehan.

That after NNU collected 11 hits in the opener, two each from McCluskey, King, Sheehan, Redford and Larsson Chapman, but also stranded 10 runners on base.

Having fought their way to the nightcap victory and a split on the day, NNU now prepares for its final home weekend as the Crusaders host Concordia on Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. in doubleheaders at Elmore Vail Field.