BETHANY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene extended its winning streak to a season-high four games with a 7-4 walk off win in the first game of a doubleheader with East Central and will have a chance to make it five straight if it is able to play Saturday.
The Crimson Storm (22-24, 18-16 GAC) had their second game suspended in the top of the ninth at 5-5 in the second game. Inclement weather is expected to make its way across the state late Friday and all day Saturday. If Saturday's games are called the game will end in a tie.
In the opener,
Katelyn Brown started the game by striking out the first seven batters she faced. SNU broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when
Kai Sanchez scored on a wild pitch. The Storm then got three straight RBI singles from Brown,
Mahina Sauer and
Riley Brown to push the lead to 4-0.
The Tigers got to Brown for one in the top of the fifth with a leadoff home run to make it 4-1 before adding another in the sixth. ECU had a shot to have runners at second and third when the run scored by
Kai Sanchez nailed the runner at third for the second out. The Tigers tied it at 4-4 in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs, but SNU had the last say.
Sauer and
Riley Brown had back-to-back one out singles before
Sydni Toilolo launched a 3-run, walk off bomb on a 3-2 count to end the game. The home run was her fifth of the year.
Katelyn Brown (15-13) finished with nine strikeouts on the day in the complete-game performance. She gave up just four runs, only two earned, on eight hits.
Cheyenne Reynolds went 2-for-3 with a run scored while
Katelyn Brown, Sauer and
Riley Brown all went 2-for-4. Both Browns each drove in a run and scored a run while Sauer drove in a run.
In the nightcap, East Central jumped out in front with one in the top of the first, but SNU answered in the bottom half of the inning with two on a single to left by Toilolo.
Katelyn Brown tacked on two more to make it 4-1 in the bottom of the second when she hit her fourth of the year down the left field line.
Brooke Tate had not allowed a run for five straight innings, but gave up a 3-run home run to left to tie the game at 4-4. The Tigers added one more in the inning to take their first lead of the day at 5-4. The Storm tied the game on a single deep in the hole at short to score Kendall Stockstill.
Neither team scored in the eighth and both umpires and coaches decided to suspend the game in the top of the ninth.
