BENTONVILLE, Ark. — For the first time in school history, Southern Nazarene has advanced to the finals in the winner's bracket of the Great American Conference Championships with a 5-4 win over No. 1 seed Southern Arkansas.
 
The Crimson Storm (26-26-1) pulled off their second straight upset Friday as they stunned the No. 7-ranked Muleriders (50-8), who came into the game as the top team in the GAC and winners of 20 of their last 23 games. Both teams tallied seven hits in the contest as SAU scored one run in their final four innings, while SNU scored four of their five runs in the fifth inning.
 
Katelyn Brown got the nod in the circle for Southern Nazarene for the second day in a row. The senior pitched her 21^st complete game of the year, as she struck out seven, allowed four runs, all earned, and walked three batters in her 18^th win of the season. The Crimson Storm are now 16-5 on the season when Brown throws a complete game.
 
SNU got on the board first in the third inning, as Caitlyn Curlee doubled to left field to score Jacey James. That gave the Storm an early 1-0 lead. Southern Arkansas came right back in the top of the fourth to score a run to even things up at 1-1.
 
The Muleriders extended their lead in the top of the fifth when they pushed one run across the plate to take a 2-1 lead. SNU responded in the bottom of the fifth in a big way. Kai Sanchez reached on an error that scored James to tie the game 2-2. A couple batters later, Kriston Shumaker singled to third base to score Kaley Knox to give the Storm the lead back at 3-2.
 
Later in the inning, Brooke Stutz came in to pinch-hit and the freshman delivered a bloop single to left that scored Sanchez and Sydni Toilolo to give SNU the 5-2 lead heading into the final two innings.
 
The Muleriders got one run back in the sixth to cut into the Storm lead, and made things interesting in the top of the seventh, as SNU needed only three outs for the win. SAU led off the inning with a home run to make it 5-4, and then got the tying run on first with no outs. Brown settled down and closed the door with three straight outs sending the Crimson Storm to the winner's bracket finals.
 
Cheyenne Reynolds led the way at the plate for SNU as the senior finished 2-for-3, while Toilolo went 1-for-2 with a run scored. Curlee and Shumaker each went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Brooke Stutz finished 1-for-1 with two RBIs. Sanchez went 1-for-4 with an RBI, while Mahina Sauer finished 1-for-3 as well.