BILLINGS, Mont. – The Northwest Nazarene baseball team had opportunities Thursday, but couldn't take advantage as the Nighthawks were swept by Montana State Billings in a doubleheader.

The Yellowjackets sent the Nighthawks to their fourth consecutive loss, winning 8-7 and 6-5 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference Action.

"You look at the scores and it looks competitive, but in reality I don't think we played all that great," NNU coach Joe Schaefer said. "We were still in both games and had a chance to win both games, so hopefully (Friday) we can be a little better."

In the nightcap, the Nighthawks (18-18 overall, 14-14 GNAC) loaded the bases with one out but couldn't push the tying run across.

Trailing 6-5, Bennett Tabaracci hit a one-out single and Parker Price then reached on a throwing error, putting runners at second and third. Kyle Redford drew a walk to load the bases, but Jesse Hilyard struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch and Braeden Dunten struck out looking on the 10th pitch of his at bat.

"I think our guys understand that we can hang with just about anybody," Schaefer said, "but there is a difference between being in a ballgame and winning a ballgame. We are trying to figure out how to be the team on the winning end."

NNU trailed 6-0 early, but scored five runs in the fourth inning on a two-run single by Redford, a RBI double by Rocco Ferrari, a run-scoring groundout by Shawn Grandmont and the final run on an error by the Yellowjackets (21-17, 21-9).

In the fifth, NNU had second and third with no outs, but Redford and Hilyard struck out and Dunten fouled out.

Tabaracci was 3-for-4 with a run scored, Price was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Redford was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Cooper Webster took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in six innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

"We put all of our runs across in one inning with a bunch of good at bats, but we just weren't very good overall," Schaefer said. "We struck out 12 times in seven innings and that is terrible."

In the opener, NNU led 4-1 in the sixth but Billings scored four times in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a pair of errors. NNU eventually trailed 7-4 after seven innings when Dunten, Ferrari and Dylan Cure hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to tie the game with no outs in the eighth. Grandmont then flew out to the warning track in center as he vied for a fourth consecutive home run.

Billings won on a walkoff single after the first two batters reached on a single and a hit by pitch.

Grandmont finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run, as the Nighthawks hit four in the game. Dunten had just two at bats on the season coming into the game, but his home run in the eighth was crushed off the scoreboard.

Greg Casper took the loss after allowing all three baserunners in the ninth. Bryan Black threw three shutout innings to start the game, walking one and striking out four.

The two losses mean the Nighthawks lead the fifth-place team by just two games in the loss column with 10 games to play. The top four teams advance to the GNAC tournament.

NNU and Billings play another doubleheader Friday starting at 12:05 p.m.