LACEY, Wash. – The Nighthawks came out swinging on day one against Saint Martin's, making a strong statement at the plate. After Friday's games were canceled due to rain, the teams took the field on Saturday, March 22nd, to kick off the series. NNU dominated the day, securing a 12-0 shutout in game one before cruising to a 16-1 victory in game two.
The Nighthawks now sit at 22-10 overall, and 11-3 in GNAC play.
Game One
Northwest Nazarene delivered a commanding 12-0 shutout victory over Saint Martin's, fueled by a dominant third-inning rally. The game started quietly, with both teams struggling to generate early offense. NNU had a few baserunners in the first two innings but couldn't push any across, while Saint Martin's managed just one hit through the first two frames.
That all changed in the third when the Nighthawks erupted for ten runs, seizing complete control. Nin Burns II led off with a double, setting the stage for a big inning. Gavin Brubaker and Kaleb Karpstein followed with hits, loading the bases for Adrian Arechiga, who ripped a two-run double to break the scoreless tie. Cris Enriquez added an RBI sacrifice fly, and Cole Calnon tripled in another run before Carson Burns' RBI single made it 5-0. The Nighthawks continued to apply pressure, taking advantage of two errors and aggressive baserunning to extend their lead to 10-0 before the Saints could escape the inning.
On the defensive side, NNU's starting pitcher, Landen Parker, had an amazing performance stifling any possible comeback for the Saints. He pitched 5 of the 7 innings recording 6 strikeouts, 0 walks allowed, 3 hits, and no runs.
After the explosive third inning, NNU maintained control, adding two more runs in the 7th. Casey Wayne knocked an RBI single to left center, and Liam Herrera brought home another run with a sacrifice fly. Though the Nighthawks didn't need the extra insurance, their continued offensive execution gave them the 12-0 victory.
Game Two
Northwest Nazarene carried their offensive momentum into Game 2, erupting for 16 runs in a dominant 16-1 victory over Saint Martin's. The Nighthawks wasted no time, scoring 5 runs in the 1st inning. Nin Burns II led off with a single and stole second before Gavin Brubaker's bunt put runners on the corners. Kaleb Karpstein's sacrifice fly opened the scoring, followed by RBI hits from Cris Enriquez and Carson to cap off the explosive start.
The Nighthawks' offense was relentless in the 2nd inning, adding 9 more runs to effectively put the game out of reach. Brubaker and Karpstein set the table with back-to-back hits, and Adrian Arechiga's RBI single kept the rally going. Enriquez and Cole Calnon followed with RBI knocks allowing 2 more runs to cross. Burns II delivered a two-run single, and a costly error by the Saints extended the inning, allowing 2 additional unearned runs to score. By the end of the frame, NNU led 14-0.
NNU tacked on 2 more runs in the 3rd with an RBI single from Carter Walsh and a double by Jake Mestas to extend the lead to 16-0. From that point forward, the Nighthawks remained in cruise control, rotating players into the lineup and letting their pitching staff handle the rest.
Saint Martin's was able to get on the board in the 7th with an RBI triple by Killion that scored 1 run. With that the Nighthawks finished the game and took the victory, 16-1.
Up Next
Due to the Friday games being canceled because of rain in Washington, the teams will finish their competition on Monday, the 24th. Game one will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, with game two following shortly after.
