NAMPA, Idaho – On a team with 12 seniors, it can be hard for a freshman to make an impact.

On Thursday, Nick Irwin and Nathan Cassara did just that, though, as the Northwest Nazarene baseball team sewed up the No. 3 seed to the conference tournament with a 4-1 victory against Central Washington.

Irwin pitched four shutout innings in relief to earn the win and Cassara had a key two-run single.

"I'm just trying to accept my role on this team and do whatever I can do to make this team a GNAC champion," Cassara said. "Whether it is pinch running and swiping a bag or getting a clutch hit or just doing anything I can do to get the team a win."

The Nighthawks (22-22 overall, 18-17 GNAC) dropped the nightcap 7-3. The two teams play another doubleheader at 3 p.m. Friday to close out the regular season. The seniors will be honored in between the two games.

Cassara had only made 11 starts before Thursday and didn't start his first game until March 9. An infielder being converted into the outfield slowed down his playing time, but he has made the most of his opportunity in the last two weeks. He has four hits in five starts with five runs scored and four RBIs.

"We just haven't had an everyday guy out in left field and we have to move guys around when Jesse (Hilyard) is pitching," NNU coach Joe Schaefer said. "He was biding his time early in the year and has made the most of his opportunities."

Irwin, meanwhile, had thrown the fourth most innings on the pitching staff entering Thursday, but he hadn't thrown more than three innings since early February.

On Thursday, he entered a 1-1 game in the sixth and pitched three-hit ball the rest of the way.

"I'm just trying to execute my pitches," he said. "I know in a close game like that, there is a lot going through people's heads and a lot going on and I'm just trying to give it my all every pitch."

Irwin hasn't allowed an earned run in his last four appearances, allowing seven hits and one unearned run in eight innings.

"He has been pretty good his last few outings," Schaefer said. "He's been throwing strikes all year long, but giving up a lot of hits. Lately, he's been pretty sharp and living on the corners and getting weak contact.

"He's done a good job of coming along and becoming an integral part of our staff right now."

In the opener, Jesse Hilyard pitched five strong innings allowing one run four hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

NNU took a 1-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring groundout for Rocco Ferrari. After Central tied it in the fifth, Ben Johnson had an RBI single to right and Cassara had his two-run single that took a funny hop and bounced over the shortstop's head into left field.

"We are all getting ready for the playoffs and hopefully we are going in pretty hot," Irwin said.

In the nightcap, Cooper Webster struck out 10 in five innings but walked five batters and left with the score tied 3-3.

Jalen Fuhriman allowed three runs on three hits to take the loss in relief.

Dylan Cure homered and drove in two runs, while Shawn Grandmont was 2-for-3 with a double. Johnson added an RBI.