NAMPA, Idaho – The Nighthawks took games one and two of the series with a 15-3 victory before a complete game shutout in game two, winning that one 8-0. Win the wins today the Nighthawks (29-11 overall, 19-3 GNAC) have now officially clinched a berth to the GNAC postseason for the seventh season in a row (skipping 2020 - COVID)
Game One: 15-3 (D. Eden 5-1)
Northwest Nazarene erupted for 15 unanswered runs after an early deficit, powering past St. Martin's 15–3 on Friday afternoon at Elmore W. Vail Field.
St. Martin's struck first in the second inning, using a three-run home run to take an early 3–0 lead. Northwest Nazarene settled in quickly behind starter Dillon Eden, who limited further damage and gave the Nighthawks a chance to respond.
NNU broke through in the fourth inning when Liam Herrera delivered a two-RBI single up the middle, cutting the deficit to one. The Nighthawks tied the game in the fifth on a pair of wild pitches before taking the lead for good later in the frame.
From there, Northwest Nazarene's offense continued to build momentum. Carter Walsh extended the lead with a two-run single in the sixth, and Henry Henkel added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it 7–3.
The game turned into a rout in the eighth inning, as the Nighthawks plated eight runs on five hits and took advantage of control issues and defensive miscues. Kaleb Karpstein highlighted the inning with a three-RBI double to right-center, capping the scoring at 15–3.
Walsh led the offensive effort, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Adrian Arechiga added three runs, while Kyle Becker contributed three hits. Herrera and Karpstein each drove in multiple runs as part of a balanced 13-hit attack.
On the mound, Eden earned the win, tossing five innings while allowing three runs and striking out six. Jakob Rochelle was dominant in relief, throwing four shutout innings and allowing just one hit while striking out four to secure the save.
Game Two: 8-0 (C. Talley 8-0)
Behind a dominant complete-game performance on the mound, Northwest Nazarene shut out St. Martin's 8–0 to continue its strong weekend at Vail Field.
Northwest Nazarene wasted little time getting on the board, capitalizing on a St. Martin's miscue in the second inning. Gavin Brubaker brought home the game's first run on an RBI groundout, giving the Nighthawks an early 1–0 advantage.
The lead grew in the third inning as NNU took advantage of defensive errors. Carter Walsh reached on an error that allowed a run to score, and Adrian Arechiga followed with a two-RBI single to push the margin to 4–0.
The Nighthawks continued to add on in the fourth. Parker Sobiesiak delivered an RBI double to left-center, and Walsh followed with a run-scoring double down the line to extend the lead to 6–0.
Kyle Becker provided the biggest swing of the day in the fifth inning, launching a solo home run to right field to make it 7–0. NNU capped the scoring in the sixth when Cooper Nixon crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
While the offense steadily built the lead, Corbin Talley was in complete control on the mound. The left-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out 11. Talley worked around three walks and kept St. Martin's off balance all afternoon.
Tate Lewis led the Nighthawks with a pair of hits and scored twice, while Sobiesiak and Walsh each contributed extra-base hits and RBIs. Arechiga drove in two runs as part of a balanced offensive effort.
Northwest Nazarene's pitching and defense combined to hold St. Martin's to just two hits, securing the shutout victory and maintaining momentum in the series.
Games three and four of the series will be played tomorrow here in Nampa with first pitch scheduled for 1pm here local time. The Nighthawks will look to continue their winning streak and will go for the season sweep over the Saint Martin's Saints tomorrow.
Nighthawks of the Day
Corbin Talley: 7.0 Ip, 11 SO, 0 Runs, 2 H
Carter Walsh: 4-6, 4 RBIs, 4 Runs, 3B, 2B, SB, 3 BB
Kyle Becker: 4-7, HR, 4 Runs, RBI,
