BETHANY - The Southern Nazarene softball team opened both their home season as well as GAC play on Sunday afternoon as they welcomed in the East Central Tigers, earning a split in their contest. SNU dropped the opened 8-3 before responding with a 9-3 win in game two.
The win brings SNU to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the GAC on this young season.
After a scoreless first in the opening game, East Central struck first with a RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. However, SNU found a little two out magic in the second inning at
Caitlyn Curlee ripped a double off the wall in right to drive home a run and even the score.
Hailie Fellers followed with a RBI single to score Curlee and give SNU their first lead at 2-1.
In the fourth inning, East Central pushed back ahead on a two RBI single to center, but SNU again responded in the bottom of the fifth, again with two outs, as
Jacey James stepped to the plate with a runner on third and singled up the middle, just by the pitchers glove to even the game again at three a piece.
In the top of the sixth, East Central took all the momentum back for good as they got a five run inning thanks in part to a bases clearing three RBI double to go back ahead 8-3 and eventually close out the Crimson Storm.
Brooklyn Sparkman started the contest and pitched five innings before
Cheyenne Laguna (L, 0-2) entered in the sixth and gave up a walk and a hit. Sparkman re-entered, but could not stop the bleeding as she eventually pitched all seven innings.
Fellers and Curlee led the offense as they were both 2-for-3 with a double, a RBI, and a run scored.
In the second contest, the Tigers looked like they were carrying momentum from the first game as a RBI double pushed them in front 1-0. However, in this contest, it was the gritty pitching performance of
Caitlin Lewis, along with some tremendous defense, that built some momentum for SNU.
In the bottom half of the first, SNU loaded the bases and were able to scratch two across as Sparkman was hit by pitch while
Skye Ah Yat reach on an error. East Central got a runner on in the second, but an incredible double play by Curlee on a sac bunt led to a double play.
East Central got one back in the third, but the defense continued to shine as the next batter looked to put the Tigers ahead, but a beautiful strike from center field from
Kai Sanchez nailed the runner at home, her second time throwing out a batter at home in this contest. On the next batter, James made a tremendous catch on a line drive and doubled the runner up on second to end the inning and keep the game at two a piece.
SNU got it going in the fourth as Ah Yat singled up the middle followed by a sac bunt by
Kaley Knox. Sanchez put SNU back ahead with a RBI single to right to score Ah Yat. After a walk to James,
Mahina Sauer stepped in with two on and one down. Sauer proceeded to rip a double down the left field line, scoring two, and putting the Crimson Storm ahead 5-2.
Riley Kalman made it a five run inning as she laced a single to left and SNU was rolling.
It was be all Lewis (W, 1-2) would need as she pitched a complete game, striking out round and only allow two earned runs. East Central got a run back in the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-3, but SNU added some insurance for Lewis in the bottom half of the sixth as Brown doubled to left to score two while
Victoria Rodriguez drove a run in on a sac fly. Lewis closed the game out and earned her first collegiate win.
Sauer was 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI while Kalman was 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI, and a run scored. James added a 1-for-2 day with two walks and three runs scored.
SNU and East Central will close their series tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
