(NAMPA, Idaho) No. 4 seed PLNU Baseball is one win away from a return trip to the Super Regionals.
 
Point Loma staved off elimination for the second straight day, defeating No. 5 seed Montana State Billings 5-0 on Friday to set up a winner-take-all game against No. 1 seed and regional host Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.
 
Branden Jackel (5.2 IP), Christian Williams (2.1 IP) and Michael Sarhatt (1.0 IP) combined to pitch PLNU's first ever shutout in an NCAA West Regional game.
 
Point Loma took the lead with a pair of runs in the third inning, as the Sea Lions strung together three straight hits to begin the bottom half, with Aiden Arriaga's single up the middle scoring Owen May.
 

Aiden Arriaga puts @PLNUBaseball in front of Montana State Billings in an NCAA West Regional elimination game.

🎥 @NNUSports pic.twitter.com/sGKbmNsWOa

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) May 17, 2025

 
After Matt Bernath bunted Tommy Molina over to third base, Jake Entrekin's groundout to second base scored PLNU's second run of the inning, as Entrekin extended his single-season program record for RBIs.
 
Point Loma then scored three in the fifth to go ahead 5-0, with all three runs coming with two outs.
 

Josiah Rodriguez gives @PLNUBaseball a 3-0 lead over MSU Billings in the 5th.

🎥 @NNUSports pic.twitter.com/DOp5hAr5po

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) May 17, 2025

 
Josiah Rodriguez's single to center made it 3-0 before Jake Schwartz's double off the wall put PLNU ahead by five.
 

Jake Schwartz's double off the wall makes it 5-0 @PLNUBaseball through 5 innings against MSUB.

🎥 @NNUSports pic.twitter.com/anJ3MYxLmj

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) May 17, 2025

 
Jackel left the game after 5.2 scoreless innings before Williams stranded runners on first and second with a strikeout to maintain Point Loma's five-run lead.
 
Williams threw two more scoreless frames before Sarhatt finished out the shutout with a strikeout as part of his 1-2-3 ninth that required only nine pitches.
 

Branden Jackel (5.2 IP), Christian Williams (2.1 IP) and Michael Sarhatt (1.0 IP) combine to throw the first ever shutout for @PLNUBaseball in an NCAA West Regional game.#GoSeaLions pic.twitter.com/6TXbnsRLl3

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) May 17, 2025

Point Loma (39-17 overall) will now play No. 1 seed Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at 5 p.m. PST / 6 p.m. MST with a spot in the Super Regionals on the line.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE