NAMPA, Idaho - Northwest Nazarene baseball earned two victories over Western Oregon on Saturday, and did so in thrilling fashion both times with a pair of walk-offs, 9-8 in game one and 4-3 in game two.

With the wins, NNU improves to 19-5 on the year and 12-3 in GNAC play. The Nighthawks split the series with the Wolves after falling in both games yesterday.

NNU will be on the road next weekend as they continue conference play at Montana State Billings for four games.

Game One: NNU 9, WOU 8

Western Oregon struck first in game one, putting up four runs in the third inning. NNU got one back in the bottom of the frame on a wild play, with Colton Moore scoring after a wild pitch and an error by the catcher. The Wolves brought the lead back to 5-1 in the fourth, though, on a solo homer. 

The Nighthawks offense then came alive, starting with a Kyle Payne RBI single in the bottom of the inning. In the fifth, Grant Kerry hit a solo homer, John Gonzalez notched an RBI double, and Quentin Ayers singled home Gonzalez to even the score at five apiece.

Kerry gave NNU the lead in the sixth, launching a two-run shot this time that scored Shawn Grandmont and put the Nighthawks up 7-5. WOU would not go down quietly, though, responding with a two-run homer of their own in the seventh to tie things up again.

NNU would take the lead again in the bottom of the eighth as Grandmont scored on an error, but WOU tied the game yet again in the top of the ninth on an RBI single. That set the stage for the late-game heroics. With two outs, Ryan Dearing singled to center and then advanced to second when Moore reached on an error. Grandmont came through in the clutch, driving in Dearing with a single to right to win the game.

Ben Johnson started for NNU, going 3.1 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits. Shane Martin threw the next four innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on six hits. Max Holtzclaw finished the game with 1.2 innings, allowing one run and striking out two to earn the win.

Grandmont was 3-6 in the game, while Kerry was 2-3 with the two homers along with two walks. Ayers also had a two-hit game for NNU.

Game Two: NNU 4, WOU 3

The second game was a lot quieter until the final innings, with the only runs scored in the first five frames coming on solo homers by Western Oregon in the second and third. NNU cut the deficit in the half with their first run of the game in the sixth, as Colton Moore drove in Dearing with an RBI groundout.

WOU would add another run in the top of the final inning, though, extending their lead to 3-1. Magic was in the cards again for the Nighthawks, though, as the rally started with Alex Salsman singling to right. Kyle Payne ran for him, and advanced to second on Haden Keller's groundout. Ben Johnson then walked and John Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.

Walker Moore came up and hit a grounder to second, but it was soft enough that the Wolves could not turn the double play and Payne scored to make it 3-2. Now with two outs, Dearing walked to load the bases again and put the winning run, Walker Moore, at second. His older brother Colton was the hero in this walk-off, driving in Nathan Cassara from third and Walker from second on the game-winning single to center field.

Spencer Schwehr threw 6.1 innings and allowed just the three runs on five hits with six strikeouts, but came away with the no-decision. Holtzclaw received the win again, getting the final two outs in the top of the seventh. 

Dearing had two hits and a run scored, while Colton Moore tallied three of NNU's four RBI.