BETHANY - The Southern Nazarene softball team returned home for conference play as they took on the Henderson State Reddies in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. SNU took the first game in a decisive 9-1 win before falling in game two, 9-3.
SNU got things rolling in the first inning as
Kai Sanchez blasted a RBI single to right center to give the Crimson Storm a 1-0 lead. Later in the third inning,
Mahina Sauer stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run bomb over the right field wall to push the score to 3-0.
The Crimson Storm carried that momentum into the fourth inning as
Victoria Rodriguez doubled to score one while Sauer singled home her third RBi of the day to move the lead out to 5-0.
Throughout the game, SNU got a terrific performance from
Brooklyn Sparkman, who kept Henderson in check throughout most of the contest.
SNU blew the game open in the fifth inning as
Jacey James drove a pair home on a RBI double while Sanchez added a RBI single to make it 8-1. Sauer would come to the plate with the bases loaded and end the game with a walk-off single for the 9-1 victory.
Sparkman (W, 7-0) pitched seven complete, allowing one run on seven hits to go with three strikeouts. Sauer led the way offensively, going 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Sanchez was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI while James and Rodriguez were each 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Robinson and
Riley Kalman each had two hit games.
In game two, SNU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a RBI single from Sauer, but Henderson State scored the next nine runs to take a 9-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. SNU battled in the final frame as Sauer drove in two on a RBI double, but eventually the Crimson Storm would fall at 9-3.
Sauer was great again, going 2-for-4 with three RBI while Sanchez was 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Caitlin Lewis took the loss for SNU.
The Crimson Storm move to 11-10 overall and 6-4 in the GAC. They will return to action tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m. as they will look to take the series from the Reddies.
