ST. GEORGE, Utah – Jesse Hilyard had struck out twice with runners in scoring position and two outs in the Northwest Nazarene baseball team's opener Friday.

When he came up in the top of the eighth with runners on the corners and one out, though, he banged a single to left for the go-ahead run as the Nighthawks defeated Dixie State 6-5 in nonconference action.

"We were really bad offensively the first half of the game, but we found ways to scrape by," NNU coach Joe Schaefer said. "The hitting is slowly coming around, but we have been facing a couple of really good arms."

NNU (1-2) dropped the nightcap 3-2 to No. 10 Colorado Mesa.

In the opener, Hilyard's hit made it 4-3. Kyle Redford later scored on a wild pitch and Shawn Grandmont drove in Hilyard with a sacrifice fly.

Those runs were needed as reliever Greg Casper worked in and out of trouble, escaping a big jam in the bottom of the ninth. With their lead down to 6-5 because of a pair of errors, Casper struck out the final batter to end the game.

"We looked very, very timid in the infield," Schaefer said of the 9th inning. "All three infielders – second, third and short – had a chance to make a play to end the game and didn't. They let the ball play them and they are better than that."

Casper got the win, allowing two runs – one earned – on three hits in 2 1/3 innings. Cooper Webster allowed three runs on six hits in four innings while getting a no decision.

In the nightcap, Ben Johnson made his first collegiate start, allowing two runs on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts in four innings. He was relieved by freshman Nick Irwin, who gave up one run on five hits with no walks and a strikeout in four innings.

"I thought Ben Johnson and Nick Irwin pitched really, really well," Schaefer said. "For Ben Johnson going against one of the top teams in the nation in his first collegiate experience he didn't make a lot of mistakes and Nick did an excellent job as well."

The Nighthawks offense struggled throughout, but put together a rally in the eighth.

Rocco Ferrari and Michael Hults hit one-out singles and Parker Price then tripled in both to make it 3-2.

But Mesa brought in reliever Garrett Huston who struck out Redford looking and Hilyard swinging to get out of the jam. NNU went down in order in the ninth.

"We have to take more pride in two strike at bats and scoring runners from third with less than two outs," Schaefer said. "We don't need a hit, just a ground ball somewhere. We don't have guys going to do that right now."

Hunter Douglas was 4-for-4 with two solo home runs to lead Mesa (1-0).

NNU plays Mesa again at 11:30 a.m. Saturday before heading home to Idaho.