BETHANY - The Southern Nazarene softball team earned two more wins on Saturday as
Skye Ah Yat walked it off in the 1tth of game one while a trio of pitchers came through in game two as the Crimson Storm completed a four-game sweep of Arkansas-Monticello, 3-2 (11) and 2-1.
It is the first sweep of the year for SNU and could not have come at a better time as they put together a terrific all-around weekend of softball.
In game one, Arkansas-Monticello took advantage of two SNU miscues in the field as took a 1-0 lead on a fielding error. SNU responded right back as Ah Yat got things rolling with a RBI double to right center to even the score at one a piece.
In the third, UAM made it a 2-1 game thanks to heads up base running as an infield single was just beat out but hte runner on second never stopped as she headed home and scored while the Crimson Storm were asleep.
SNU would load the bases in the second and fourth innings, but came away with nothing. SNU thought they had the go ahead runs in the fourth, but
Mahina Sauer's rocket of a line drive hit a
Jacey James, who had no shot of reacting for an out.
In the sixth, it was UAM this time who could not avoid mistakes as two errors helps SNU even the game at two a piece. James had popped on up and it popped out of the pitcher's glove, scoring
Victoria Rodriguez and keeping the score even at two.
Sauer had gotten the start in the circle and did a terrific job. She was pulled with two down in the seventh for
Brooklyn Sparkman who took the reigns and proceeded forward for the Crimson Storm. It would be a battle between Sparkman and Abigail Leonards as it turned into a pitching duel as the game moved into extra innings.
SNU thought they had the game won in the ninth with the bases and two gone as
Peyton Robinson seemed to have beaten out a throw with two down; however, she was called out and the game continued on.
Sauer continued to keep UAM off balance, but SNU could not push that go-ahead run across as they left 17 runners on base.
Finally in the bottom of the 11th, Ah Yat stepped into the box and cranked the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to give SNU the 3-2 win.
Sparkman (W, 14-5) pitched 4.1 innings allowing no runs on two hits to go with three strikeouts and one walk. Sauer started the game and went 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits to go with three strikeouts.
Ah Yat was 2-for-6 with a double, a homer, and two RBI while
Hailie Fellers was 2-for-5. SNU scattered nine hits in the game with James and Rodriguez each scoring a run along with Ah Yat.
In game two, Sauer got the scoring started in the first with a RBI triple to left center while
Caitlyn Curlee followed with a RBI double to left center to give SNU a 2-0 lead.
It was all the Crimson Storm would need as the trio of
Caitlin Lewis,
Cassidy Davila, and Sparkman would finish off the Blossoms the rest of the way.
Lewis (W, 3-4) pitched a quality 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits to go with two strikeouts while Davila went 0.2 innings, allowing no runs on one hits. Sparkman (S, 2) earned a save, going 2.2 innings and allowing no runs on one hits to go with three strikeouts.
Sauer was 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and a RBi while Curlee was 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI.
Kai Sanchez was 2-for-2 with a stolen base while Robinson was 2-for-4. Reily Schlarb added a 1-for-1 day with a sac bunt.
SNU moves to 20-17 on the year and 15-11 in the GAC. They will hit the road to Magnolia, Ark. as they get ready for a four-game series against No. 4 ranked Southern Arkansas beginning on Friday.
