April 29, 2010
Lacey, WA – Saints Martin’s belted three home runs on their way to a 7-6 win over Northwest Nazarene University in a single nine inning game on Thursday afternoon at Saints Field. The game was a makeup game from a series earlier in the season that was unable to be played at NNU because of a six hour marathon game one.
The Saints, who were the visitors on the scoreboard, got things going in the second inning. After Cody Brooks singled, Michael McIver hit a laser over the right field wall. One batter later Blaine Evans sent a shot to right field to make it 3-0.
NNU got one back in the bottom of the third but Saint Martin’s tacked on two more in the next frame. Andy Cole doubled to left center and scored on a home run to right by Zach Leonard.
A big three-run fifth from NNU made it a tight ballgame at 5-4, highlighted by a solo shot from Tyler Nicholson and a RBI double by Greg Christensen, who led the Crusaders with three hits in the game.
The Saints added some insurance runs in the sixth as a double down the right field line by Josh Grenier scored two. It would be just what the Saints needed as the Crusaders got one run in their half of the inning and added another in the eighth.
Luke Abbott finished the day 3-for-3 with three doubles for SMU while Evans and Leonard each had two hits.
Antone Saltvick picked up the win in relief while Kaleb Wilson recorded the save. Jesse Gwaltney took the loss for NNU.
The loss ended an eight game winning streak for Northwest Nazarene, 26-19 overall and 18-10 in the GNAC.
The Saints, 18-23 and 13-11, and Crusaders will complete the regularly scheduled series starting with a doubleheader tomorrow at 1pm.