BETHANY - The Southern Nazarene softball team battled both the Harding Bisons and the elements on Saturday afternoon, but could get a win on Saturday as the Bisons completed a four-game sweep on the Crimson Storm with a 6-3 and 12-4 (5) win.
Kaley Knox got SNU going with a bang as she led the game off with a triple down the left field line. She would later scored as
Peyton Robinson stole second and moved on to third on a errant throw, scoring Knox in the process for a 1-0 lead.
However, missed opportunities would be the issue for SNU all week as they could not add anymore runs in the first despite three hits. Harding used the long ball to push ahead in the second as a pair of home runs from Amanda Fields and Madison Leggett gave them a 3-1 lead.
In the fourth, Fields and Leggett used a pair of doubles to put another crooked number on the board to push the lead out to 6-1.
SNU got a run back in the fifth on a RBI single from Knox and she followed that up with a second RBI in the seventh. The Crimson Storm threatened in the final frame, but never could get the tying run to the plate as they fell 6-3 in game one.
Brooklyn Sparkman (L, 10-4) took the loss, pitching two innings while
Caitlin Lewis put together two innings of relief work.
Cheyenne Laguna gave SNU quality work in relief, pitching three complete and allowing no hits while striking out four.
Knox led the offense with a 2-for-4 game with a triple and two RBI while
Hailie Fellers was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Sparkman added a 1-for-1 day with a double.
In the second game,
Riley Kalman got SNU on the board on a fielder's choice while
Jacey James followed with a RBI single to make it a 2-0 in the bottom of the first.
Harding got two back before a 1 hour and 40 minute lightning delay sent both teams back to the locker room. As the game picked up, the Bisons put a nine spot on the board to open up a 9-2 lead.
Fellers drove a run in in the bottom of the second to make it 9-3, but Harding put a three spot on the board in the fourth to move ahead 12-3. Fellers would strike one more time in the fifth with a solo shot, but Harding would close the series with a 12-4 win at the sweep.
Fellers was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a homer while Knox was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. James added a 1-for-3 day with a RBI while Robinson was 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Laguna (L, 1-3) would take the loss for the Crimson Storm in game two.
SNU moves to 15-16 overall and 10-10 in the GAC. They return to action on Tuesday as they are back in GAC action against rivals Oklahoma Baptist. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
