Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LOS ANGELES – The Northwest Nazarene baseball team was swept Friday in its season openers.

The Nighthawks lost 10-4 to Dixie State and 8-2 to Cal State Los Angeles.

"It just looked like an Opening Day," NNU coach Joe Schaefer said. "Especially in that first game. It looked like Dixie had played a series already and we were stepping on the field for the first time. There were a couple of guys who had some pretty good at bats from an offensive standpoint, but overall we weren't very good and we have a lot of work to do.

"I'm not going to overreact on Day 1. I think we have a good team."

In the opener, Dixie State took a 3-0 lead in the third inning on a three-run home run. The Nighthawks responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Shawn Grandmont singled Parker Price to third. Price then scored when the throw went to second.

Price added a run-scoring groundout in the eight, Quentin Ayers had an RBI single in the ninth and scored on an error.

Blake McFadden took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in his first appearance in nearly a year. He was a medical redshirt last season after injuring his elbow.

Kyle Gracey was 3-for-4 with a run scored, Ben Johnson was 2-for-4 with a double and a run and Ayers was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.

In the nightcap, the Nighthawks fell into an 7-0 hole and couldn't recover.

Ayers was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double and Ryan Dearing was 2-for-4 to lead the offense. Transfer Ty Hueckman made his debut, allowing five runs on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings. Redshirt junior Brennan Patterson returned to the mound for the first time in more than a year. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings.

"What's hard is you go all fall inter-squadding against each other and it's hard to get an accurate gauge on who we are as a tea," Schaefer said. "The bright spot is we are on the field and getting to learn some things – who can do what, who can hit where, who can execute pitches. As many new guys as we have, it will take some time to figure that out."

The Nighthawks face the same two teams Saturday, playing Dixie State at 12:30 p.m. MST and Cal State Los Angeles at 4 p.m.