MONMOUTH, Ore. – Haden Keller struck out a career-high 13 batters in eight shutout innings of one-hit baseball on Friday morning at Western Oregon University, as No. 1 seed Northwest Nazarene University defeated Montana State University Billings 2-0 on Day 2 at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships.
 
Keller's gem overshadowed a stellar outing from MSUB senior right-hander Matthew Houlihan, who threw 113 pitches and went the distance through eight strong innings. "Houlihan did an outstanding job of giving us a chance to win today," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "We were just one clutch hit away. I was proud of how our guys continued to compete, and we are looking forward to playing tomorrow."
 
Despite the loss, MSUB (26-26) remains in contention for the GNAC Championships title and will play No. 2 seed Western Oregon on Saturday in an elimination game with a noon (Pacific) first pitch. The winner of the game will take on No. 1 Northwest Nazarene in the championship game.
 
2022 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Baseball Championships
May 12-14 – Western Oregon University Baseball Field – Monmouth, Oregon (all times listed Pacific)
Thursday, May 12
Game 1 – No. 3 Seed MSU Billings 5, No. 2 Seed Western Oregon 2
Friday, May 13
Game 2  – No. 1 Seed Northwest Nazarene 2, No. 3 Seed MSU Billings 0
Game 3 – No. 2 Seed Western Oregon 4, No. 1 Seed Northwest Nazarene 1
Saturday, May 14
Game 4 – Noon – No. 3 Seed MSU Billings vs. No. 2 Seed Western Oregon
Game 5 – 3 p.m. – Winner Game 4 vs. No. 1 Seed Northwest Nazarene (Championship Game)
 
Keller made quick work of the Yellowjackets in the first, starting the game off by striking out the side. He helped himself out in the bottom of the inning with NNU's first hit of the game, and came around to score on a two-out, RBI-single by Alex Salsman that made the score 1-0.
 
The Nighthawks (30-19) avoided what was primed to be a double play in the bottom of the third, with Parker Price taking off from first on a ground ball hit by Tyler Best. MSUB shortstop Cooper Dulich's only play was to first base, but Houlihan got the next two hitters out to strand a runner in scoring position and keep the deficit at one run.
 
James Anderson led off the fourth inning with MSUB's first hit of the ballgame, but was stranded at second base as Keller navigated out of trouble. The knock proved to be MSUB's only baserunner until AJ Wagenmann drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning, as Keller set down 12 of 13 hitters through the middle innings.
 
Rumble Reyes blasted a two-out double to left field in the bottom of the fourth, but after an ensuing walk Houlihan got Ryan Dearing to pop up to end the threat. The Yellowjacket senior faced more trouble in the fifth, when a wild pitch put a pair of runners in scoring position with just one out. After getting Duke Pahukoa to foul out, Houlihan struck out Salsman on three pitches to keep the score at 1-0.
 
The Nighthawks added their insurance run in the sixth, when Reyes laced another double – this time into the right-field corner – with one out. Dearing followed with a clutch, two-out RBI-double to make the score 2-0.
 
Houlihan retired six of the final seven hitters he faced to keep his team in it, but the Yellowjacket offense stalled and failed to get any momentum going. Mitch Winter brought the tying run to the plate with a two-out single in the ninth, but NNU closer Max Holtzclaw solidified his GNAC-leading 12th save of the year by getting Mason Powell to ground out to his counterpart Pahukoa.
 
Reyes went 2-for-4 and was the lone player with multiple hits, while NNU left nine runners on base and MSUB stranded six. Keller worked around three walks and a hit batter in his masterpiece, tossing 106 pitches to earn his GNAC-leading eighth win of the season.
 
THE BUZZ: Houlihan was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…it was his fourth complete game of the year, the second most of any GNAC pitcher…MSUB is now 0-4 all-time against NNU in postseason games…NNU leads the season series between the teams 7-2 and has won six in-a-row in the head-to-head battle…with their strikeout totals on Friday, Keller moved to first in the GNAC with 76 on the year and Houlihan moved to second with 75 on the year.
 
AHEAD: After knocking off Western Oregon 5-2 on Thursday, the Yellowjackets will seek to beat the Wolves again to reach the GNAC Championships title game for the third time in program history. The 'Jackets lost in the title game to Western Oregon in 2018, before beating Saint Martin's in the championship game in 2019. MSUB will also seek to even the season series between the teams, with WOU currently holding a 5-4 edge in matchups this season.
 
All-Time in the GNAC Championships: The Nighthawks have won all four postseason meetings between the teams, each at the GNAC Championships.
2015 – NNU 8, MSUB 6
2016 – NNU 4, MSUB 3
2017 – NNU 4, MSUB 3
2022 – NNU 2, MSUB 0
 
Yellowjacket Baseball All-Time Postseason History
NCAA West Region Championships Appearances: 1 (2019)
NCAA West Region Championships All-Time Record: 0-2
NCAA West Region Championships All-Time Results
2019 (No. 6 Seed): #24 PLNU 10, MSUB 2 | #10 UCSD 7, MSUB 5 (0-2)
 
GNAC Championships Appearances: 7 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
GNAC Championships Titles: 1 (2019)
GNAC Championships All-Time Record: 8-11
GNAC Championships All-Time Results
2013 (No. 3 Seed): WOU 7, MSUB 0 | CWU 6, MSUB 5 (0-2)
2015 (No. 1 Seed): NNU 8, MSUB 6 | WOU 4, MSUB 3 (0-2)
2016 (No. 2 Seed): MSUB 10, WOU 2 | NNU 4, MSUB 3 | WOU 18, MSUB 1 (1-2)
2017 (No. 4 Seed): WOU 4, MSUB 2 | NNU 4, MSUB 3 (0-2)
2018 (No. 1 Seed): MSUB 21, CU 11 | WOU 14, MSUB 8 | MSUB 10, CWU 6 | MSUB 6, WOU 4 | WOU 8, MSUB 4 (3-2)
2019 (No. 1 Seed): MSUB 4, SMU 2 | MSUB 10, WOU 0 | MSUB 8, SMU 5 (3-0)
2022 (No. 3 Seed): MSUB 5, WOU 2 | NNU 2, MSUB 0