NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene baseball took two more games from Montana State Billings on Saturday, 9-2 and 4-3, to sweep the four-game series over the Yellowjackets, including the second night in a row with a walk-off win in extra innings of game two.
The Nighthawks improve to 27-10-1 on the season and 17-7 in GNAC play.
Game One
Trevor Tishenkel started the scoring for the day with a two-run homer in the first inning of the opener.
Carter Walsh added to the lead in the second with an infield RBI single to make it 3-0.
MSUB cut the lead to one with two runs in the top of the third, but in the bottom of the inning
Duke Pahukoa knocked a two-run double,
Bryan Rojas scored on a wild pitch, and
Liam Herrera notched an RBI single to build the advantage up to four at 6-2.
Before the game was over, Pahukoa added a solo homer in the seventh and
Adam Paganelli a two-run double in the eighth to give the Nighthawks the 9-2 win.
Kyle Ethridge went 6 2/3 innings in the start to earn the win, allowing two runs while striking out five and walking none.
Josh Brown got the last out of the seventh before
Josh Bishopp tossed the final two scoreless frames.
Tishenkel, Pahukoa, and Brubaker each had two hits for NNU.
Game Two
The Yellowjackets broke through first in game two with a run in the top of the second. NNU answered back right away to tie it in the bottom of the inning as Rojas drilled an RBI double down the left-field line.
The Nighthawks then took the lead in the third when Tishenkel scored Walsh on a sacrifice fly and
Adam Paganelli lasered a homer over the wall in left to make it 3-1.
MSUB would chip away and eventually tie it at three in the top of the seventh. NNU could not score in the bottom of the inning to send it to extras, where neither team was able to break through for the win until the 10
th inning.
In the bottom of the 10
th, Paganelli started things with a one-out walk and then raced around to third on a Pahukoa single. The hustle play to get to third proved important, as Rojas laid down a bunt and Paganelli was able to beat the throw home by the pitcher for the winning run.
Blake Hammond went four innings in the start, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts.
Jaxon Henderson allowed an unearned run in one inning of work, followed by
Jonathan Zayas going 2/3 of an inning.
Wade Duncan earned the win, entering with two outs in the sixth and tossing the final 4 1/3 frames, allowing a run on four hits with three strikeouts.
Walsh and Pahukoa had two-hit games for the Nighthawks.
Next Up
NNU will head to Saint Martin's for their final road series of the regular season next weekend from April 26-27. After that, it's the final home games on May 2 and 3 against Central Washington.
