RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Whether it was a late closeout or early rally, California Baptist University found a way to get the job done Wednesday in a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Nazarene.

In game one, the Crusaders rallied in the top of the ninth but were denied the tying run at the plate as CBU took the 8-6 win. The Lancers then overcame a four-run deficit in the first inning for a 9-5 win in the day's finale.

CBU has now won five straight after playing four of its past five at Totman Stadium. Northwest Nazarene drops to 2-4 after splitting its previous series at Cal State Los Angeles. The Lancers and Crusaders are scheduled to play again on Thursday at a time to be determined.

"The dugout has really had a lot more energy and our hitting has come to life," senior relief pitcher Brody Robinson said. "Our offense has been insane lately, they have just been attacking the ball when it's in the zone. We're very confident right now."

Tyler Johnson led CBU's offense, with a five-for-nine day at the plate that included three runs batted in. Tommy Bell was four-for-nine, with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored, while Ryan Williams (three-for-six), DJ Porter (three-for-seven, five RBI) and Luke Navigato (three-for-nine) all had three hits on the day, as the Lancers outhit NNU 24-16 on Wednesday.

"Our approach and the way we handle our at-bats has changed," Johnson said. "We aren't looking to double or homer, whatever the situation presents, we adapt to that and have been able to hit to it."

Northwest Nazarene took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Wednesday's first game, but the Lancers took a 4-1 lead with three runs in the first inning and one more in the second. Porter drew a bases-loaded walk and Navigato laced a two-run double in the first, while Bell smoked a shot past third in the second inning.

The Lancers built their lead up to six, 8-2, with two more runs in each the fifth and sixth innings. Johnson scored a run with a grounder and then scored on a throwing error in the fifth, while Williams and John Glenn each doubled in runs in the sixth.

Still, NNU did not quit and got singles from its first two batters in the top of the ninth. Another single loaded up the bases with one out and a hit by pitch plated one run, while a bases-clearing triple brought the tying run to the plate with two outs.

Coach Gary Adcock turned to Brody Robinson, who closed out games last season, and the left hander continued to impress. The senior got an easy grounder to second base to end the rally there and secure the one-out save in the 8-6 win.

"I just wanted to pound the zone and get a popup or grounder," Robinson said. "I was happy with the pitch I threw and the result it got."

Garett King threw the first seven innings on Wednesday and allowed just six base runners (four hits, two walks), two runs and struck out seven. In game two, Andrew Bash got his first career start and struck out five over five innings, allowing just two earned runs.

NNU appeared to be in the driver's seat when it scored the first four runs in the first inning of the nightcap. The Lancers answered right back and tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom half, with Porter logging a two-RBI single, while Johnson and Bash drove in runs on a single and double, respectively.

"The dugout has been real 'rah rah,' the mood in there is just infectious no matter what," Johnson said. "Even when we are down four runs, we can still come back. There's a lot of belief there."

The Lancers' offense kept crushing and used an RBI double from Bell and run-scoring single from Porter to take a 6-4 lead in the second inning. The Crusaders scrapped within a run, 6-5, in the fifth inning, but CBU found some insurance in the sixth.

Porter drove in his fifth run of the day and an error gave CBU some insurance in the sixth. Johnson concluded his strong performance with an RBI single in the eighth.

Meanwhile, Seth Kaneen held NNU scoreless over the final innings, giving up just two walks, a hit and striking out four for the four-inning save.  

"We are just taking it a game at a time," Johnson said. "We just go on to the next one and take it a pitch at a time. We are really confident here at home."