LACEY, Wash. – The Saints needed two wins to stay in the middle of the race for the GNAC tournament, and using great pitching and timely hitting, SMU took both off of Northwest Nazarene, 5-4 and 7-1, to end the series.
 
Taking three out of four against the Nighthawks on the Saints' home field was a must needed accomplishment if the Saints wanted to stay in the hunt for a GNAC tournament appearance. Clark Streby and Benjamin Wadowski got the job done on the mound, including Wadowski's nearly complete game, one run gem. Mickey Walker and Ryan Dorney were called in from the bullpen to help close down the wins and secure the series for SMU.
 
In the opening act, Northwest Nazarene scored first, adding a run in the third inning on a sac fly. In the bottom half of the inning, Isaac Hegamin scored the tying run on a wild pitch. In the fourth inning, NNU scored two more runs to retake the lead at 3-1.
 
Once again the Saints came back in the next half inning, scoring one run and cutting the score to 3-2. In the sixth, on a ball from Elijiah Santiago, NNU committed a throwing error, which in turn, resulted in two runs for SMU and the lead. Northwest Nazarene tied the game in the seventh on a wild pitch once again.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Micah McNicoll led off with a walk, followed by a Ryne Oshiro single to left, and Colton Peha's bunt single to load the bases. After a strike out, Aaron Renaud worked a bases loaded walk to score the eventual game-winning run.
 
Streby went 6.2 innings in the no decision, but allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Walker (2-1) earned the win after going the final 2.1 innings with one hit allowed and two punchouts.
 
In the second game, it was all Saint Martin's in the early innings. The Saints plated three runs in the second and four more in the third. Hunter Holmason contributed with a RBI double in the second, and Chayson Dulatre added one on a RBI single to right. In the third, RBI singles from Peha, Dulatre and Santiago, along with a wild pitch, made up the four runs of support.
 
Northwest Nazarene was unable to get anything going against Wadowski, as he tossed six shutout innings to start the game. It wasn't until the final inning that the Nighthawks scored their lone run of the game.
 
Saint Martin's remains at home for their next series, hosting Montana State Billings next weekend. Live stats of the game will be available with video on a TBA schedule.