NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene won both of their games against Western Oregon on Saturday to win the series, three games to one. NNU is now first in the GNAC standings. Game one finished with a 6-5 final and game two finished 9-1.
The Nighthawks are now 18-20 overall and 12-8 in GNAC play.
Game 1
Western Oregon jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the 1
st inning. Both Maiben brothers scored on a two RBI single to left field from Cortese.
NNU said not so fast and answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Kaleb Karpstein hit a double to score a run.
Colby Moran followed up with a double of his own that scored two runs.
Tyler Best jumped in with an extra base hit of his own that scored the Nighthawks fourth run of the game.
In the bottom of the 5
th inning, Moran added two more runs for the Nighthawks on a home run to right-center.
Jonathan Zayas was the winning pitcher after throwing 6.0 innings for the Nighthawks and giving up just two runs while striking out five batters.
Joseph Ihli came in and slammed the door for NNU, throwing 1.2 innings and facing five batters. Ihli earned his 8
th save of the year which is currently tied for second in the Division II national rankings.
Game 2
The Wolves woke up the Nighthawks offense by scoring one run in the top of the 2
nd inning. In the bottom half of the inning,
Duke Pahukoa had an RBI single.
Quentin Ayers singled to left field to score Pahukoa.
Kaleb Karpstein came to the plate with bases loaded and two outs. He delivered a bases clearing double to right-center field to put NNU up 5-1.
The rest of the runs in the game came on one swing in the bottom of the 4
th inning from
Shane Jamison. Jamison hit the Nighthawks' second grand slam of the weekend.
Henry Clark started on the bump for the Nighthawks and gave up just one run while striking out two batters.
Ty Pohlmann threw the bulk of the game with 3.2 innings pitched and five strikeouts.
Joseph Ihli closed out the final 1.2 innings of the game, facing just five batters.
On Deck
The Nighthawks face off against Montana State Billings next weekend.