Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PORTLAND, Ore. – Ross Clevenger got five huge outs and the Northwest Nazarene University baseball team picked up a huge sweep Friday of Concordia to keep its playoff hopes alive.

After the Nighthawks scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and then Concordia immediately loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half.

Enter Ross Clevenger who got out of the jam and then shut down the Cavaliers in the eighth to earn a 6-5 victory. NNU (17-29 overall, 15-21 GNAC) won the opener 14-0.

"Ross rose to the occasion by getting five big outs," NNU coach Rocke Musgraves said. "He also laid down a a huge two-strike bunt."

The sweep puts the Nighthawks 1 1/2 games behind Concordia for the final playoff spot to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament. NNU has four games left next weekend at home against Western Oregon, while Concordia has five games left.

In the nightcap, Dylan Cure led off the seventh with a single and after a fly out, Coltin Brink doubled him to third. Bennett Tabaracci pinch hit and singled in a run to make it 5-3. Parker Price followed with a run-scoring single and then Zach Penrod tied the game at 5-5.

In the bottom half, Jalen Fuhriman walked the leadoff batter and then got an out on a sacrifice bunt. Penrod then came into pitch and walked two batters to load the bases.

Enter Clevenger.

The former starter struck out his first batter and then induced a groundout to escape the jam.

In the eighth, Cure drew a one-out walk and after Clevenger sacrificed him to second Connor singled him home.

"It took us awhile to get the offense going in Game 2," Musgraves said. "Dylan gave us a big boost offensively with the home run and a couple of clutch at bats."
Cure finished 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs and the home run.

In the opener, Adam Paulson threw a three-hit shutout with one walk and four strikeouts, turning in his second consecutive dominant performance.

"Adam set a competitive tone for the ballclub today," Musgraves said. "His leadership has been exceptional. He pitched smart today using the ballpark to his advantage instead of getting caught up in personal numbers."

Casey Sheehan was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Penrod was 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs and a double, Price was 2-for-3 with two runs and Braeden Dunten was 1-for-1 with two RBIs.