Box Score

GULF SHORES, Ala. — There are firsts and lasts for everything, but it usually doesn't happen all in one shot. No. 15 Southern Nazarene had never reached the NAIA Softball National Championship in school history and nearly got into bracket play, but fell just short with a 7-3 loss to No. 2 Cal State San Marcos in the final game of pool play.
 
The Crimson Storm close the 2012 season at 42-18, the second straight 40-win season, and close their association with the NAIA as SNU prepares to begin play with the Great American Conference and continue the NCAA Division II Membership Process.
 
SNU looked to take control of the game as momentum swung its way in the fourth when Kristina Forest broke a scoreless tie, and a no-hitter, with a lead off home run in the bottom of the fourth. Cal State San Marcos though answered right back with two in the top of the fifth to lead 2-1.
 
The Cougars (52-4) then led off the inning with two straight singles before an SNU error loaded the bases with no outs. CSUSM got two singles, a bases loaded walk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to add five runs in the inning to jump out to a 7-1 lead.
 
The Storm had a little life breathed back into them when Amy Madden blasted a two-run shot to left center to close the gap to 7-3. That home run tied her own school single-season record set last year of 15.
 
The two home runs though were the only two hits for the Crimson Storm as Cal State San Marcos' Cortney Allen was brilliant in the circle. Allen gave up just three runs on two hits and struck out four in the complete game performance.
 
Kaci Crawford (18-9) took the loss for SNU as she allowed just four earned runs on eight hits and struck out four in five and one-third innings of work.
 
Cal State San Marcos advances to pool play as the highest seeded team left as No. 1 Concordia fell in the final game of pool play. No. 3 Oklahoma City is the only Sooner Athletic Conference team left in the national tournament.
 
It was the final game four six seniors as Katie Turner, Aubrey Jones, Kristina Forest, Kaci Crawford, Kara Crawford and Allison Fields all laced up the cleats for the last time. The 2012 class goes into the books as the winningest class in school history.