SAN DIEGO – Izayah Alvarez drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 10^th inning to score the winning run Saturday night as the Point Loma Nazarene Sea Lions wrapped up the series finale over Montana State University Billings 6-5 Saturday afternoon at Carroll B. Land Stadium in non-conference play. Nathan Bloxham, Tanner Cantwell, and Sam Powers all hit solo home runs for the Yellowjackets in the losing effort. MSU Billings topped PLNU in a doubleheader Friday to take the three-game set 2-1.
 
"We came up on the wrong end of a great baseball game today, but it was a joy to see so many different players step up and perform this weekend," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "We are excited about the start to the season with a series win on the road against a quality in region opponent. We are optimistic about the future of our team."
 
The Yellowjackets (2-1) have nearly two weeks off before they appear in a pair of games against both Colorado State University-Pueblo and University of Sioux Falls February 14-16 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Point Loma Nazarene (1-2) takes on No. 2 ranked University of California San Diego beginning Monday in a two-game series.
 
Will Heward was the first of seven pitchers for MSUB and lasted 4.0 innings with one earned run, one hit, three walks, and three strikeouts allowed. Cantwell homered to right center field to give the 'Jackets a 1-0 lead in the second. Bloxham followed with his own solo shot in the third.
 
The Sea Lions chipped away with single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh frames. The Yellowjackets briefly led 4-3 in the top of the seventh on a Cantwell single through the right side of the infield. Dayton Provost struck out to end the frame with the bases loaded.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings. Zander Petrich pitched to seven hitters and went 1.2 innings with zero runs and one hit allowed in relief. Andrew Schleusner led off with a walk in the top of the 10^th inning, but was doubled off when Provost lined out to second base. Sam Powers came to bat next and smashed a 3-2 pitch to left field to give the Yellowjackets a 5-4 advantage.
 
Braelen Pippin entered the game in the home half and quickly allowed Otto Kemp to hit a solo home run. Pippin struck out Baxter Halligan, then hit pinch hitter Easton Waterman on a 3-0 count. Cort Dietrich relieved Pippin and clipped two consecutive Sea Lion hitters with a hit by pitch to load the bases. Miguel Cazares struck out swinging. Then Alvarez walked on a full count to bring in pinch runner Seth Ryberg for the clinching run.
 
The Yellowjackets clubbed 14 hits but left 11 runner aboard through 10 innings. Cantwell finished 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in. Bloxham and Powers also posted three-hit games with one RBI apiece. Will Riley and Dayton Provost knocked two hits each.
 
Point Loma Nazarene scored six runs on six hits and left seven men on base. Otto and Kemp had two hits each and six different players marked runs batted in.
 
THE BUZZ: Powers was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game after hitting a home run in the 10^th inning.