Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NAMPA, Idaho – So far this season, the Northwest Nazarene University baseball team has struggled to put together solid doubleheaders.

Generally, the Nighthawks play great in one game and struggle in the other.

Thursday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference games against Saint Martin's was no different as the Nighthawks lost 5-4 in 10 innings in the opener before bouncing back for a 10-4 victory in the nightcap.

"It seems to be like our typical Game 1 this year," NNU senior Casey Sheehan said. "We get off to a slow start and let the other team punch us first. That is just something we need to turn around."

It was especially painful Thursday as the Nighthawks were playing last-place Saint Martin's, a team that had lost seven in a row and 10 of 12 since NNU took three-of-four at their place in early March.

"Game 1 it took us a little while to get going," Sheehan said. "We were making some boneheaded plays on the bases, but we've just got to bounce back and come out and play well tomorrow."

NNU (11-21 overall, 9-13 GNAC) led 2-0 after three, but gave up three runs on two hits and two errors. The Nighthawks had chances but had a player doubled off of second on a line drive and wasted a bases loaded one out situation.

NNU did tie the game in the bottom of the ninth on a run-scoring groundout by Kyle Redford, but Ryne Oshiro hit the first pitch he saw in the 10th for a home run and the eventual victory.

"It is just a mindset in pregame," NNU's Bennett Tabaracci said. "We've just got to get ourselves up before we get out to the field. I think we've got to have good energy in batting practice and then translate that into the game, both on the field and in the dugout."

Parker Price was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two doubles and an RBI. Sheehan was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Justin Folz was 2-for-5 with a double, and Jesse Hilyard pitched five strong innings of relief giving up just one unearned run.

The Nighthawks bounced back in the second game, scoring four runs in the first and four more in third to blow the game open.

Hilyard had a two-run single, Tabaracci a run-scoring single and Ben Johnson a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

Folz then hit an RBI triple in the fourth, Tabaracci followed with a run-scoring single and Sheehan hit a two-run single for an 8-0 lead. Ryan Connor later added a two-run single for a 10-0 lead and Greg Casper, Brennan Patterson and Alan Embree made the lead stand up.

"It felt good," Sheehan said of the second game. "We know that we could have a lot more games like that, which is frustrating. I think we need to come out tomorrow and play both games like we did Game 2 and take the series."

Hilyard finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Folz was 2-for-4 with two runs, Tabaracci was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Johnson, Price and Redford were all 2-for-3.

Casper gave up three runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in five innings for the win. Embree came on with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth and escaped the jam giving up just one run. He went two scoreless innings.

"These last couple of weekends (our pitching) has been in the zone and working down," Tabaracci said. "We're not giving up those extra base hits and we're playing good defense behind them. It is all coming together a little bit."

Now the Nighthawks just need it to come together in the form of a doubleheader sweep.