NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene baseball earned a doubleheader sweep of Western Oregon in thrilling fashion on Saturday, taking both games by one run, 5-4 and 6-5.
Game One
The Nighthawks couldn't get much going in the first eight innings of game one, only scoring one run in the fifth as they trailed 4-1 going into the ninth.
NNU broke out in their final chance, though, as
Haden Keller led off with a walk, moved to second on a
Grant Kerry single, and then
Duke Pahukoa blasted a game-tying three-run homer.
Cameron Bogard followed with a double, and one batter later
Walker Moore walked off the Wolves with an RBI single up the middle.
Spencer Schwehr started for NNU and pitched well, going seven innings and allowing just two earned runs with four strikeouts.
Shane Martin tossed the final two frames to earn the win, allowing one run and striking out two.
Kerry and Pahukoa each finished with two hits for the Nighthawks.
Game Two
Western Oregon tallied first in game two, notching a run in the top of the third. NNU would respond in the fourth, as Bogard,
Colton Moore, and
Cameron Duke each drove in runs.
WOU cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Nighthawks came back with three in the bottom of the inning, all coming on a home run from Kerry.
The Wolves would not go down quietly, though, adding one in the sixth and then two in the seventh.
Max Holtzclaw would get the final out before WOU could tie it, however, as the game ended on a strikeout/caught stealing double play.
Holtzclaw earned the save after going 2.1 innings and striking out three.
Haden Keller started for NNU, earning the win after going 4.2 innings and allowing two unearned runs on just two hits while striking out six.
NNU had just seven hits, with two apiece coming from
Colton Moore and
Cameron Duke. Keller was also 1-1 with two walks and two runs scored to aid his effort on the mound.
Next Up
The Nighthawks, now 17-11 on the year and 9-3 in GNAC play, head out on the road next week, visiting Montana State Billings for four games on March 25 and 26.
