MONMOUTH, Ore. – Northwest Nazarene baseball split Friday's doubleheader at Western Oregon, falling 6-2 in game one before holding on for a 4-3 win in game two.
The 10
th-ranked Nighthawks move to 23-7-1 on the season and 13-5 in GNAC play.
Game One
After two scoreless innings, NNU broke through for a run in the top of the third as
Carter Walsh drove in
Jason Bell with a single.
The lead was short-lived, however, as WOU would tally three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one more in the seventh to take a 6-1 advantage. The Nighthawks got one back in the top of the ninth on a
Liam Herrera RBI double, but that 6-2 score is where the game would end.
Walsh had two hits and two stolen bases to lead the Nighthawks offensively.
Kyle Ethridge went six innings in the start, allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits while striking out seven.
Jakob Rochelle tossed two scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth.
Game Two
Once again, the Nighthawks got on the board first in the top of the third, this time with
Cole Calnon driving in
Kaleb Karpstein with an RBI groundout. NNU added another run in the top of the fourth on a
Casey Wayne sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
The Wolves immediately tied the game at two in the bottom of the fourth. Two innings later, however, it was
Duke Pahukoa with the big knock as he sent a 1-1 pitch deep over the wall in left for a two-run homer.
WOU managed to cut the deficit to one, 4-3, in the bottom of the sixth, but the Nighthawks held on for the victory.
Bryan Rojas was strong in the start for the Nighthawks, going 4 2/3 while allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four.
Blake Hammond earned the win after 1 1/3 innings of relief before
Wade Duncan slammed the door with a scoreless, two-strikeout seventh for his seventh save of the season.
Next Up
NNU and WOU will wrap up the series with another doubleheader tomorrow, starting at noon Pacific.
