Friday, August 13, 2021
by Northwest Nazarene Athletic Communications

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - After helping lead Northwest Nazarene to the deepest NCAA postseason run in program history, left-handed pitcher Sasha Jabusch has signed a professional contract to play with the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League.

"I'm excited to be a Voyager and experience this new competition," said Jabusch. "It will be a great chance to see how effective my stuff is at the next level."

The Great Falls Voyagers play their home games in Great Falls, Montana, and are a member of the Pioneer Baseball League, which is an MLB Partner League with teams in Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado.

The Voyagers have about a month left in their 2021 regular-season schedule, and are currently fourth in the Northern Division standings at 27-44 on the year. Jabusch will join the team on Friday and is slated to have his first start on Saturday, August 14th when the Voyagers host the Northern Division-leading Missoula Paddleheads. 

"I'm very excited for Sasha," said NNU head coach Joe Schaefer. "He had a great year for us and won some really big games last season. He was also having a very good summer in the Northwoods League that attracted the attention of Great Falls. He is very deserving and I hope the best for him."

Before signing with the Voyagers, Jabusch made eight starts for the Willmar (Minn.) Stingers of the Northwoods League this summer, throwing 44.1 innings with a 3.65 ERA and 24 strikeouts.

In his one season in a Nighthawks uniform, Jabusch compiled a 4.53 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with three wins in 10 starts. He also struck out 55 and walked 12 in 53.2 innings. He saved his best start of the year for the big stage, tossing a complete game and allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out 10 in an elimination game 3-2 victory over #9 Azusa Pacific in the NCAA West Regional. Jabusch would go on to also be the game one starter for NNU in the Division II College World Series against top-ranked Central Missouri.

Prior to coming to Northwest Nazarene, Jabusch pitched the truncated 2020 season at now-defunct Concordia-Portland, amassing a 1-3 record and a 3.34 ERA in five starts. He tied the GNAC single-season record with 15 strikeouts against Saint Martin's on February 29, 2020. Jabusch also spent one season at Concordia (Neb.) and two seasons at Clark College.

"The experience I had finishing my collegiate career at NNU means a lot, the hard work paid off and I got a chance to finish off my career with a good note," said Jabusch. "I will always look back and be grateful for the times at NNU. The coaching staff and the professors helped me become a better student-athlete, but most importantly a better person off the field."