NAMPA, Idaho. – J.J. Robinson and Seaver Whalen both homered and combined to drive in nine runs as the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team defeated Northwest Nazarene University 17-14 in non-league play at NNU's Elmore Vail Field on Tuesday.
 
It was the second straight day the two teams played a game that resembled more of a football score than a baseball outing. On Monday, LCSC took advantage of a program record 17 walks in the game to defeat the Crusaders 18-10.
 
Tuesday's contest wrapped up a six-game trip over five days to the Treasure Valley area and the Warriors went 5-1. LCSC defeated College of Idaho in three of four NAIA Far West games. LCSC, ranked No. 12 in the NAIA  poll that came out Tuesday, improves to 15-8 overall, while NNU, which had won six of eight entering the LC series, falls to 10-12.
 
Gunnar Buhner and Chase Hafer also homered for the Warriors, who had eight of their 12 hits go for extra bases. LCSC has now hit 12 home runs in its last five games.
 
Like Monday's game, LCSC grabbed a good-sized lead early, only to have NNU storm back and take the lead. The Warriors led 2-1 after the first and then scored six in the top of the second for an 8-1 lead. NNU, however, scored eight in the bottom of the second for a 9-8 advantage. LCSC then put up four more in the third to regain the lead at 13-8 and eventually led 17-12 in the ninth when NNU scored its final two runs.
 
Whalen, a senior infielder who was the Warriors' designated hitter on Tuesday, hit a two-run home run off seldom-used NNU starter Joseph Siegel in the first. Logan Griffin started the one-out rally with a double and Whalen followed with his fifth home run of the season.
 
After NNU scored a run off LCSC sophomore starting pitcher Tyler Burch, the Warriors took advantage of more walks on Tuesday to open up its 8-1 lead. Buhner started the scoring with a solo homer, his fifth of the season, and two walks and a single loaded the bases for Whalen, who was then hit by a pitch to force in a run. Robinson cleared the bases with a three-run double and he later scored on a ground out by Evan Douglas.
 
NNU took its turn taking advantage of walks as Burch issued four in the eight-run second inning, including two with the bases loaded, that saw the Crusaders sent 11 to the plate. The big hit was a three-run double by Tim Jones.
 
The first five batters for LC in the third inning reached base, which ended the day for Siegel. A walk and a single set up an RBI single by Matt Thompson for the first run, while a bases-loaded walk to Griffin gave LC the lead for good. A single by Whalen gave him his fourth RBI and an error allowed the final run to score.
 
In his two-plus innings of work, Siegel was charged with giving up nine hits, four walks, and 12 earned runs.
 
LCSC used a platoon of pitchers. After Burch went two innings, Christian Jarnagin got an inning of work before the Warriors used their regular starting pitchers, who normally would throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday between their starters. Kevin Hamann pitched two innings and earned the win as he allowed just one hit and struck out two. Connor Brogdon gave up three runs in his inning of work, while Henry McAree pitched the final three innings and gave up two runs on one hit, but struck out four. He earned his third save of the season.
 
Both teams scored three times in the sixth. LCSC went up 15-9 when Micah Brown reached on a fielder's choice and Buhner was hit by a pitch to set up a three-run home run by Hafer. It was his first home run of the season.
 
In the seventh, Robinson made it 17-12 with his monster two-run blast to right field, which tied him for the team lead with five as well.
 
NNU rallied in the ninth for a pair of runs off McAree on Brett Nielsen's two-run home run, but the Warriors recorded the final out just as the rain clouds opened up.
 
Robinson finished the game 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. Whalen was 1-for-5 to increase his consecutive game hit streak to 13. He drove in four runs and scored twice. Hafer was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
 
In all, eight of the nine Warrior hitters had at least multiple hits or multiple runs scored in the game.
 
LCSC now returns home for to face Corban in a four-game NAIA Far West series. The two meet in a noon doubleheader on Saturday and then an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday.