Thursday, May 7, 2015

BILLINGS, Mont. – Northwest Nazarene scored on an RBI-single in the top of the ninth to beat the Western Oregon Wolves 3-2 in game one of the GNAC Baseball Championships Thursday at Dehler Park in Billings, Mont.

NNU first baseman Tate Glasgow singled into left field with runners on second and third, driving in the winning run.

The Crusaders will face top-seeded Montana State Billings in game two at 4 p.m. MST.

Senior starter Colben McGuire threw eight innings in his final career start for the win, striking out four.

The Crusaders scored first after freshman Tim Jones lined a two-run home run over the right field fence for his first career home run as the away team took an early 2-0 lead in the second.

In the bottom of the fourth, catcher Brandon Oliver answered the Crusaders with a two-run home run of his own going the opposite direction to tie the game at two.

The next four frames would remain scoreless as starters McGuire and WOU’s Garrett Alvarez allowed two combined hits in that span.

With the Freshman of the Year Brady Miller pitching for the Wolves in the ninth, leadoff hitter Kyle Thomson walked and Jesse Hilyard doubled to left to put runners on second and third with no outs.

Glasgow powered a single into left field to score Matt Lightfoot, who pinch ran for Thomson, for the game-winning run. 

Western Oregon now faces elimination with one more loss facing No. 1 seed MSUB at 7 p.m. MST tonight.