NAMPA, Idaho – Both games went right down to the wire. The Western Oregon University baseball team looked to take two more from #13 Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, but the Nighthawks were able to rally and win both games in walk-off fashion taking game one, 9-8 and game two, 4-3, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

In the opener, WOU (12-6, 11-5 GNAC) used a big third inning to jump out early. Sam Jones opened the frame with a single. After Blayze Arcano moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, A groundout advanced him to third. Then a two-out rally started with Derek Maiben singling to score Jones. Jacob Maiben added a single to put runners at the corners. Connor McCord cashed in with a double to right to score Derek Maiben. Josh Berman then closed the scoring when he singled to left to score both Jacob Maiben and McCord for a 4-0 lead.

Northwest Nazarene (19-5, 13-3 GNAC) got a run back in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, Jones continued his hot stretch at the plate with a solo homer. Again, the Nighthawks came back with a run in the home half to leave WOU with a 5-2 lead.

NNU came all the way back with three runs in the fifth to even the score at five.

The Nighthawks took the lead in the sixth with two more runs to open up a 7-5 advantage.

WOU came right back in the seventh. Derek Maiben reached on an error and then McCord launched a two-run homer to tie the game back up, this time at seven.

In the eighth, NNU regained the lead with a run for an 8-7 lead going to the ninth. The Wolves extended the game getting the tying run home. Berman reached on a throwing error and advanced to second. Justyn Herzog then singled to right to score pinch-runner Hank Forrest to even the game at eight.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, NNU got a walk-off single to take the 9-8 win.

WOU held a 14-12 edge in hits with McCord and Jones leading the team with three hits. McCord drove in three runs. On the mound, Logan Hatley started and went the first 2.2 innings. Ryan Shipley then went the next two innings before Michael Moore finished the fifth getting a strikeout. David Gibons pitched the sixth before handing the ball to Nathan Bonck who worked into the eighth going 1.2 innings. Trae Perkins tossed the final inning and ended up with the loss (0-1) allowing one unearned run.

Shawn Grandmont led the Nighthawks with three hits. Grant Kerry drove in three runs. On the mound, Ben Johnson started and went the first 3.1 innings allowing five earned runs. Shane Martin went the next four innings before Max Holtzclaw grabbed the win (2-0) working the final 1.2 innings and allowing one unearned run.

WOU broke through first again in game two. In the top of the second, Berman homered to open the inning for the 1-0 lead. In the third, Tyler Brandenburg also opened the inning with a solo shot to push the lead to 2-0.

It remained that way into the sixth when NNU scratched across a run. WOU came right back with a run in the seventh. Herzog opened the frame with a walk and then moved to second when Brandenburg also walked. With two outs, Derek Maiben came through with a clutch single to left to bring in Herzog to push the lead to 3-1.

In the home half of the seventh, NNU again put together another two-out rally. After plating a run on a fielder's choice to pull to within a run, a walk loaded the bases and a single brought in two runs to give the Nighthawks the 4-3 win.

Each team tallied six hits apiece with Derek Maiben collecting two hits. Derek Maiben, Berman and Brandenburg all drove in a run. On the mound, Nick Parr had another strong start going six innings and allowing just an earned run along with six strikeouts. Alan Vasquez went the final inning and ended up with the loss (0-1) allowing three earned runs.

Ryan Dearing led NNU with two hits while Colton Moore drove in three runs including the winning run. On the mound, Spencer Schwehr started and went 6.1 innings and allowed three earned runs to get the no-decision. Holtzclaw again came on in relief and picked up his second win of the day going the final two-thirds of an inning for his third win (3-0) of the season allowing no runs.

WOU will return home for the coming series when they will face Central Washington beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.